Yahoo news has a story about 2 teenage girls that have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder after 15 students and teachers became the subject of online threats. A charge of assault with a weapon has also been laid, which suggests that a physical attack occured as well.

The article quotes an expert at length, including: In researching various types of Internet crime and online harassment, it’s become clear that technology has enabled many people – including teenagers – to act out with more confidence and aggression… Because kids are behind a computer monitor and keyboard they’re a lot more willing and free from normative and social and cultural constraints to say hurtful things and say malicious things.

At the same time, however, it can make it easier to do something about the bullying. Whenever people use the Internet to perpetrate their bullying or other crimes, they leave a trail of evidence that makes it easier to both catch and convict them.

We have seen this same thing recently where MySpace posts have lead to arrests.

Read the Yahoo News article