SB 489 Attempts to prevent cyberbullying in schools

SB 489 VOTE: NO – Died In Committee

Status (overview) of bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SB489
Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Committees/SED/Overview

This bill encourages school districts enter into agreements with law enforcement and providers of social media websites and applications to reduce cyberbullying attacks.

Personal Choice and Responsibility
School districts are encouraged to collaborate, and enter into agreements with social media websites and applications that share private information on students about online content in searching for acts of cyberbullying. This is overreach into personal messaging applications and parental controls that is the same as spying on cell phone messages. Is this not the same unlawful disclosure of private information being fought on the federal level?

Limited Government
Directs Department of Education to conduct evaluation to identify methods for reducing incidences of cyberbullying duplicates other statutes. Statutes already provide for a task force to implement programs and other initiatives that are aimed at the prevention of, and the appropriate response to, acts of harassment, intimidation or bullying and acts of cyberbullying and that involves school employees, students, administrators, volunteers, parents, guardians, law enforcement and community representatives. The law already builds on a preventive program.