New York Senate Bill S3990
This bill aims to protect victims of e-impersonation and identity theft in the digital space by establishing a crime of false pretense, for knowingly and without consent impersonating another person online for the purposes of harming, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding such other person.
Sponsored by Senator Kevin S. Parker
The Problem
Online predators, con artists, and cyberbullies are increasingly creating fake online profiles and email addresses to target and victimize individuals. With the rise of advanced technology, twenty-four hour connectivity, and social media platforms, there are countless opportunities for malicious actors to impersonate others, using their identity to harass, intimidate, threaten, and defraud. Victims suffer from emotional, mental, and financial distress as a result. These predators assume their identity to post harmful and false information, damaging the reputations of their targets in front of friends, family, and the public. As social media and digital dating grow more prevalent, the potential for such harm escalates. This bill aims to prevent this harm by criminalizing this heinous behavior.
