HR0014enr 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0014 Enrolled LRB100 04175 RLC 14181 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION 14

WHEREAS, Four out of five children aged 2 to 17 in the United States live in a home in which either they or their parents access the Internet; and

WHEREAS, Youth who create Internet content and use social networking sites are more likely to be targets of cyber-bullying; and

WHEREAS, Some parents use social media as a means to discipline, or coerce their child in order to correct behavior in their child that the parents believe is inappropriate; and

WHEREAS, This type of online victimization is associated with emotional distress and other psychological problems, including depression; and

WHEREAS, Cyber-bullying, especially by parents, can cause psychological harm, including depression, negatively impact academic performance, safety, and the well-being of the child and in some cases lead to extreme violent behavior, including murder and suicide; and

WHEREAS, Sixty percent of mental health professionals who responded to the Survey of Internet Mental Health Issues report having treated at least one patient with a problematic Internet experience in the previous 5 years; many of these clients were under 18 years of age; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Congress, consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, to pass a law prohibiting parents from cyber-bullying their children by posting messages or images on social media sites on the Internet that intimidate, coerce, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to their children; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be forwarded to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.