Bill aimed at online harassment

WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- A member of Congress planned to introduce legislation to criminalize online harassment, like the impersonation that allegedly caused a Missouri teen's suicide.

Erik Rasmussen, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch there "has to be some responsibility" for intimidation or stalking.

Missouri prosecutors said recently they could not charge a woman who allegedly posed as a teenage boy on MySpace and struck up an online friendship with Megan Meier, 13. Megan took her own life when the "boy" turned on her.

Federal prosecutors in California indicted Lori Drew, alleging that she defrauded MySpace with her impersonation.

Rasmussen said Hulshof and Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., were co-sponsoring the legislation.