Get Your Parents Informed! Karen Haase Harding & Shultz (402) 434-3000 khaase@hslegalfirm.com H & S School Law @KarenHaase
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State v. Clemmens Arrested within a few hours Charged with making terroristic threats Sentenced to • 5 months probation • Banned in 4 counties • 2 years of no social media
Snapchat
Snapchat
Snapchat
New features in the latest update Snapchat Stories Smart Filters Visual Filters Replay videos (one per day) “Best Friends”
In re Juvenile John Does (Fairfax Co. Va 2013)
Girls Snapchatted video to boy He forwarded screenshots to friends Three boys arrested at school Each charged with 12 counts of distribution of child pornography Found guilty, appealing sentences
Nebraska Law Neb. Rev. Stat. 28-813 et. seq. Makes sexting (images) a class IV felony for offenders under 19 Class IIIA felony for 19 and up Both punishable by: • Up to 5 years in prison and/or • $10,000 fine • Require sex offender registration
Criminal Implications Affirmative Defense: •
the picture is only of the defendant;
or • • • • • • •
defendant was younger than 19 picture is of someone at least 15 picture was taken voluntarily picture was given voluntarily picture contains only one child defendant hasn’t shared the picture; AND defendant didn’t coerce taking or sending
Kik Messenger
Kik Messenger App that blends texting with lots of cool social networking features The app itself is slick Secretive -- not overrun with parents. No character limits, free and quick Messages not counted against SMS Tells users when message has been sent, delivered, and read Fun array of related apps
Managing Kik Messenger The app itself specifies that users should be over the age of 17 No parental controls few privacy settings Heavily associated with sexual predators, sextortion, and cyberbullying. No follow-up options for users who experience problems Integration with Instagram: “Kik me @ (Kik username)”
Managing Kik Messenger A privacy “bad guy” One of the few apps I have forbidden my kids to use Free texting is appealing to parents but at what other cost?
Ask.fm
Ask.fm Social media in question and answer format “The ask.fm service allows for anonymous content which ask.fm does not monitor. You agree to use the ask.fm service at your own risk and that ask.fm shall have no liability to you for content that you may find objectionable, obscene or in poor taste.”
Ask.fm One user can block another user and must give a reason. A blocked person can still access the profile to view all other interactions. The site can be used anonymously Users cannot increase privacy settings Integrated with Facebook and Twitter
Polk County, Fla. case Student bullied on ask.fm and Kik Messenger • “Why aren't you dead?” • “You should die.” • “Wait a minute, why are you still alive?” • “Go kill yourself.” “Yes ik I bullied REBECCA nd she killed her self but IDGAF”
Vine
Vine Video sharing service similar to Twitter All videos on 6 second loop No privacy settings – ALL profiles are public LOTS of inappropriate content Also used for cyberbullying and sexting
Yik Yak
Yik Yak  Anonymous Twitter/Facebook  Users can post messages visible to users within 5-10 miles
Yik Yak Cases Massachusetts: • School evacuated twice after bomb threats
Alabama:
• Student arrested after cops traced bomb threat to his phone
Illinois and Georgia:
• Cyberbullying and threats of suicide
Rumor/Confession Accounts
Rumor/Confession Accounts Anonymous Twitter feeds Allow other Twitter handles to submit private messages to the owner of the rumor account Messages are tweeted “anonymously” for anyone to read Some mention specific people, others are general Built-in layer of protection for users
Poof
Hide it Pro
Poof/Hide It Allows users to select apps that will be hidden on phone Sometimes appears as innocuous app (e.g. audio player)
Whisper
Whisper • Users can post confessions anonymously, using images • Searchable by topic • Searchable by location • Lot of photos of scantily clad men and women with a/s/l
Down (Bang with Friends)
Down/BWF • Users can look through Facebook friends • If any of them also have the app then you can anonymously pick the ones would like hook up with • If the other person also picks you then the two of you are notified • Then app serves as a chat system
VB v. Flemington Raritan Regional BOE
• Student claimed to have suffered from bullying and cyberbullying • Sued school for failure to protect • School filed motion to name 13 student aggressors as third-party defendants • Judge granted motion
Nothing is truly anonymous
Get Your Parents Informed! Karen Haase Harding & Shultz (402) 434-3000 khaase@hslegalfirm.com H & S School Law @KarenHaase