Cyberstalking is the use of the internet or electronics to stalk someone. It involves identity theft, harrassment, and the transmission of threats or monitoring someone electronically. Harassment must be such that a reasonable person would regard it as enough to cause distress. Cyberstalkers meet their victims through search engines, forums, and most recently Myspace and Facebook.
The first U.S. cyberstalking law went into effect in 1999 in California.
Other states include prohibition against cyberstalking in their harassment or stalking legislation.
In Florida HB 479 was introduced in 2003 to ban cyberstalking.
This was signed into law on October 2003.
Most stalking laws require that the perpetrator make a credible threat of violence against the victim.
