US town passes online bullying law

Megan Meier was 13 when she began chatting online with someone calling themselves 'Josh'.

'Josh' was in fact the mother of a former friend of Meier's who was angry at the 13 year-old's treatment of her daughter.

The neighbour kept up the pretence for over a month before insulting Meier, posting messages about her on various sites and telling her that the world would be a better place without her. Meier hanged herself the next day.

Meier's home town of Dardenne Prairie has now created a law which makes cyber-harassment a misdemeanour with a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a US$500 fine.

Meanwhile the internet community has turned on the woman who created the online persona. Bloggers have posted details of her and her husband online, a brick has been thrown through their window and their house has been hit by paintball pellets.

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