Friending On MySpace Violates Restraining Orders
It's official: Stalking on MySpace or Facebook is just as illegal as stalking in real life. A judge on Staten Island (Shaolin represent!) has ruled that a teenager violated a restraining order against her when she friended a woman on MySpace.
The story begins last year when Melisa Fernino, now 16-years-old, was accused of making violent threats against a 43-year-old woman who had dated her father. Fernino also made violent threats against the woman's two daughters. The woman obtained a restraining order and a judge instructed Fernino not to contact the woman or her daughters.
And that was that... until Melisa tracked down the object of her hatred on the MySpace. Melisa simply sent her victim a "friend request' on the popular social-networking site, which obviously made the woman uncomfortable. So, the shaken 43-year-old complained to the judge, who ruled yesterday that requesting a person's friendship on MySpace (and, by extension, Facebook) still constitutes contact and is therefore a violation of the restraining order.
So, if you feel like you're being stalked or intimidated online, then you can rest assured that there is now a legal precedent to press charges. Don't hesitate to complain.
From Machinist
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