In an increasingly wired world where young people are “digital natives” with the ability to be connected to the Internet nearly constantly whether at school or at home, cyberbullying has become a serious problem. The National Crime Prevention Council  defines it as “when teens use the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person,” and the phenomenon has been in the media spotlight recently due to a number of suicides demonstrating the potentially devastating effects.

The attention on this issue has spurred a number of outreach efforts to provide victims of bullying the support that they need, and to make young people aware of the potential consequences of harsh words both online and off. However, the government is beginning to step in to help mitigate this problem as well. Recently the Department of Education sent a letter  to thousands of schools, urging educators across the country to be certain that they are complying with their responsibilities to prevent harassment. This reminder is important, as it highlights that schools could be liable if these responsibilities are ignored.

Many of these responsibilities are already laid out in legal precedent, even though they may not specifically apply to cyberbullying. Both federal statutes and case law covers sexual, racial, and other forms of harassment that could well apply in many of these cases. In fact, certain forms of bullying might even violate federal anti-discrimination or civil rights laws.

Some states are looking into more specific legislation to target the issue as well. New Jersey lawmakers have just introduced an “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,”  the toughest state law of its kind. It augments laws already in existence and requires anti-bullying programs in public schools as well as certain language in college codes of conduct to address the issue. And the proposed laws can hold schools accountable if bullying negatively impacts the lives of students.

This issue is part of an overarching change in the way that young people interact, a state of affairs that the law is just beginning to catch up to. A recent study  found that one in ten teens report receiving threatening emails or phone messages from a romantic partner, indicative of a growing trend of digital dating abuse that advocacy groups fear goes hand-in-hand with cyberbullying. As this problem continues to grow, lawmakers will continue search for new ways to protect those affected.