Cyberstalking, a New Crime: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Current State and Federal Laws
![handle is hein.journals/molr72 and id is 133 raw text is: Cyberstalking, a New Crime: Evaluating the
Effectiveness of Current State and Federal
Laws
Naomi Harlin Goodno
I. INTRODUCTION
The Internet is a powerful and wonderful tool that has ushered in a new
information age. If purposely misused, however, the internet can be terrify-
ing, and even deadly. Imagine a distressed woman discovering the following
messages on the Internet that was falsely attributed to her:
Female International Author, no limits to imagination and fanta-
sies, prefers group macho/sadistic interaction . . . . stop by my
house at [current address]. Will ta .e your calls day or night at [cur-
rent telephone number]. I promise you everything you've ever
dreamt about. Serious responses only.'
Or, imagine the fear generated by the following e-mail messages sent over
and over again from someone who remained anonymous, but seemed to have
specific knowledge of the recipient's personal life:
I'm your worst nightmare. Your troubles are just beginning.,2
Or, imagine the terror experienced by a woman who discovers a website with
the following message and realizes that she is the her:
Oh great, now I'm really depressed, hmmm ... looks like it's sui-
cide for me. Car accident? Wrists? A few days later I think, 'hey,
why don't I kill her, too? =).,,3
* Assistant Professor of Law, Pepperdine University School of Law; A.B.,
1995, Princeton University; J.D., 1999, University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall
School of Law; 1999-98, studied at Harvard Law School. The author thanks Dean of
Research and Professor Richard Cupp for his comments, Professor Ruth Gordon and
Professor Marci Peaks for their encouragement and advice, and Kelly Sinner, Dan
Himebaugh and Christiana Sambor for their research and editing assistance.
1. J.A. HrrcHCOCK, NET CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS: OUTMANEUVERING THE
SPAMMERS, SWINDLERS, AND STALKERS WHO ARE TARGETING YOU ONLINE 11
(Loraine Page ed., 2002).
2. Id. at 23.
3. Id. at 112 (omission in original).](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/molr72&div=9&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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Cyberstalking, a New Crime: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Current State and Federal Laws
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