Emeryville, CA asked in Criminal Law, Civil Litigation and Internet Law for Florida

Q: I’m being harassed online anonymously. They’re not threatening messages, just nasty things about my boyfriend. Can I sue

I have not told them to stop, nor have I blocked them or reported it to instagram yet

2 Lawyer Answers
Barry W. Kaufman
Barry W. Kaufman
Answered
  • Consumer Law Lawyer
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: If the person sending the messages is anonymous, you don't know who to sue, or where to serve the lawsuit. Additionally, saying nasty things about your boyfriend doesn't confer upon you the standing to file suit. Block the sender and end it.

Stephen Arnold Black
Stephen Arnold Black
Answered
  • Orlando, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: Under Florida Statute § 784.048 Cyberstalking Statute, the legal definition of the word "cyberstalking" means to communicating with, or causing images, words, or language to be delivered to, a certain person via electronic communication or email, without a legitimate purpose, and that causes significant emotional distress to the person being targeted. The statute provides criminal penalties that depend on the severity of the behavior. You may want to file a police report. However, you don’t know who the perpetrator is but a private investigator may be able to find out.

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