Gov. Deal Signs Bill To Protect Teens From Cyberbullying

The law says you’re not allowed to put a teenager’s personal information like a phone number or username on a pornographic website. It also prohibits anyone from posting a picture of a minor’s face on one of those sites. State Rep. Dave Belton, R-Buckhead, authored the law.

“We really want to confront cyberbullying. It’s become a very huge epidemic, and it really affects a lot of teenagers,” Belton says.

The law is named after Kelsey Upton.When she was 15, someone posted her phone number and address next to a picture that resembled her on a pornographic website.

“It was devastating for her because at the time … she was still in high school,” Randy Upton, Kelsey Upton’s father, says.

Randy Upton found out who was responsible, but there were no state laws to punish that person. He says it’s a relief to know that’s no longer the case.

“It makes me feel good knowing that it will help other children,” Randy Upton says, “because after we went public with this I took and got calls from parents of children that had committed suicide, and to me that was the hardest part.”

Violators of the law could face up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine.