A California law that took effect on January 1, 2011 makes it a crime to impersonate someone online.  Any person who knowingly and without consent impersonates another actual person through electronic means for purposes of harming, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding another person is guilty of a misdemeanor.  “Electronic means” is defined to include opening an e-mail account or social networking profile in another person’s name.  A violation of the law occurs only if the impersonation is credible, meaning that another person would reasonably believe that the defendant was the person impersonated.Continue Reading California’s Online Impersonation Law Comes Into Effect