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Cyberbullying Laws: When Online Harassment Becomes a Crime | Juvenile Crimes Attorney, Wichita

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WICHITA, Kan., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cyberbullying is often dismissed as “kids just being kids” or harmless online drama by parents, teachers, and school administration. The truth is, certain forms of bullying and online harassment can lead to criminal charges in Kansas, especially when threats, repeated harassment, stalking, or explicit content are involved. For parents and teens alike, it is important to understand where the line is between rude behavior and illegal conduct. Discover when online harassment becomes a crime, according to a trusted juvenile crimes attorney in Wichita, Kansas.

What Is Cyberbullying?

In general, the term “cyberbullying” refers to the use of phones, social media, text messages, gaming apps, email, or other digital platforms to intimidate, threaten, embarrass, or harass someone. This may include sending threatening messages, repeatedly contacting someone after being told to stop, sharing humiliating photos, impersonating another person online, or encouraging others to target someone digitally.

Does Kansas Have an Anti-Cyberbullying Law?

Kansas does not currently have a specific criminal statute banning “cyberbullying.” However, that does not mean online harassment is legal. Instead of criminalizing cyberbullying as a whole, several existing Kansas laws may apply, depending on the situation. Many times, juveniles may face criminal charges if their online behavior involves threats, repeated harassment, stalking, or explicit content.

Harassment by Telecommunication Device

One of the most common criminal charges related to cyberbullying is harassment by a telecommunication device. Under K.S.A. 21-6206, it is illegal to use a phone, email, social media platform, or other electronic device to send messages with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass another person. Repeatedly calling, messaging, or causing someone’s phone to ring with the intent to harass the person on the receiving end can also be charged as a crime (typically a Class A nonperson misdemeanor).

When Cyberbullying Becomes Stalking

In addition to harassment-related charges, cyberbullying can quickly cross the line into stalking. But, at what exact point does this happen? Generally speaking, a single rude or upsetting message is unlikely to qualify as stalking. Under Kansas Law, stalking typically involves a course of conduct—meaning two or more related acts—directed at a specific person that causes them to fear for their safety or the safety of an immediate family member. This can include repeated online threats, tracking someone’s location, monitoring their social media activity, or continuing to contact them after being told to stop.

A Real-World Example: A high school student blocks a classmate on social media after receiving rude or threatening messages. Instead of stopping, the classmate creates several fake accounts to continue sending messages and monitoring the student’s posts. Eventually, the classmate begins showing up at the student’s workplace and making additional threats after gathering information from the student’s online profiles.

Other Cyberbullying-Related Offenses

Some online behavior can lead to charges beyond harassment or stalking. Oftentimes, these situations can lead to much more severe criminal consequences, especially if minors are involved. Some examples of crimes stemming from cyberbullying may involve:

Sharing private or explicit imagesPosting sexually explicit content involving minorsMaking violent threatsEncouraging self-harmImpersonating another person onlineHacking into someone’s account or device

When to Contact a Wichita Juvenile Crimes Attorney

Many cyberbullying cases involve teenagers, but being a minor does not absolve them from all legal consequences. And because so much communication happens online, many teens may not even realize that a post, screenshot, text thread, or direct message can quickly become evidence in a criminal investigation. If your child has been accused of cyberbullying or another online offense, it is important to speak with an experienced juvenile crimes attorney as soon as possible.

A knowledgeable Wichita juvenile crimes attorney can help protect your child’s rights, explain the potential consequences, and help you achieve the best possible outcome for your child and their future.

Have You Been Accused?

Is your child facing criminal charges associated with cyberbullying? We encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm as soon as possible. While every case is different, and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting a Wichita juvenile crimes attorney about the specifics of your case, it is always in your best interest to have a skilled attorney by your side from the beginning.

Request a Free Consultation

Do you or a loved one need the assistance of one of our juvenile crimes attorneys in Wichita? We encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm at (316) 243-5903 for a free consultation.

jonathanwmcconnell.com

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SOURCE McConnell Law Firm

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RoboParty Unveils RP1, a High-Performance Full-Stack Open-Source Humanoid Robot at IROS

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PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On September 28, 2026, RoboParty publicly unveiled RP1 (ROBOTO 01) at IROS 2026, marking the robot’s global debut. Building on RPO (ROBOTO ORIGIN), its fully open-source humanoid project launched in January 2026 with more than 2,500 GitHub stars, RoboParty positions RP1 as the world’s first high-performance full-stack open-source bipedal humanoid robot — designed for researchers, educators, robotics developers and embodied AI teams.

At the company’s IROS booth, the “Kick Me” interactive demonstration let visitors directly push and kick the robot. RP1 rapidly adjusted its posture and recovered its balance under these external disturbances, testing its dynamic stability, body performance and system-level robustness. These capabilities were supported by PartyOS, RoboParty’s open R&D foundation for humanoid robotics, which integrates UFO — a training framework that discovers humanoid motor skills through unsupervised reinforcement learning, covering skill transitions, disturbance recovery and fall recovery without relying on predefined motion trajectories.

RoboParty is integrating the robot body, actuator modules, low-level control and embodied AI algorithms into one system for continuous joint validation. RP1 delivers peak joint torque of up to 160 N•m, built on in-house-developed Romomo actuator modules and a real-time motion-control system.

For RoboParty, “full-stack open source” means more than releasing mechanical files. The company plans to progressively open its motion-control systems, simulation environments, SDKs, training tools and the PartyOS development foundation, so developers can participate from hardware and low-level control to model training and deployment.

“Humanoid robots should not be closed systems that only a small number of teams can build while everyone else can do little more than watch,” said Yi Huang, founder of RoboParty. “We want RP1 to become an open foundation that developers can access, modify, train and continuously improve.”

RP1 builds on RPO’s validated open-source robot body and workflow, Romomo actuator modules and the dexterous RP Hand, with PartyOS evolving across humanoid locomotion, perceptual interaction, whole-body manipulation and autonomous intelligent humanoids.

Core team members studied at Tsinghua University’s Yao Class, Peking University’s Zhi Class, Harbin Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Zhejiang University and other leading institutions. RoboParty has built a global community of more than 5,000 developers, and will announce further details of RP1’s open-source roadmap in October 2026, with broader software and hardware releases and a mass-production program to follow later in Q4.

Media Contact: marketing@roboparty.com 

GitHub: https://github.com/Roboparty/roboto_origin

Website: https://roboparty.com/

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SOURCE RoboParty

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‘Global Civilization Dialogues’ Series Arrives in Xi’an with Orchid Awards Guests

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XI’AN, China, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — An international exchange event in the “Global Civilization Dialogues: Rendezvous with the Orchid” series recently took place in Xi’an. The initiative was held under the guidance of China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Publicity Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee, and organized by the Orchid Awards Secretariat, the China Center for International Communication Development (CCICD), and the Publicity Department of the Xi’an Municipal Party Committee.

The Orchid Awards is an international cultural prize founded by CICG to recognize foreign individuals and institutions dedicated to strengthening cultural ties between China and the rest of the world. Over 20 guests—among them final-round judges and participants in the Third Orchid Awards, along with social media creators from Cambodia, Germany, Brazil, and the UK—joined a four-day immersive tour of the ancient capital.

The delegation’s first stop was the Xi’an Museum, whose “Ancient Capital Xi’an” exhibit presents a rich trove of relics spanning the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties through the Ming and Qing—charting the history of a city that served as a capital under 13 dynasties. Guests lingered over the displays, absorbing the depth of Chinese civilization.

They then headed to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and its Terracotta Warriors. Each figure bears a distinct face, and the craftsmanship is remarkable—a vivid portrayal of the Qin army and a valuable source of physical evidence for studying the era. The underground formation left a lasting impression on Chinese and international visitors alike.

After revisiting ancient history, the delegation proceeded to local tech firms to observe China’s manufacturing innovation up close. At LONGi, they learned about the company’s latest strides in solar and energy storage, including industrial applications of AI and solar-powered green hydrogen. They next toured the exhibition hall at BYD’s Xi’an R&D center, learning about the company’s history, global footprint, and core electric vehicle technologies—and seeing firsthand the advances in China’s electric vehicle industry.

During their stay, guests are also scheduled to participate in the “Orchid • Encounter the Millennium-Old Ancient Capital” International Cultural Salon and visit industrial and cultural sites including the Aiju Grain and Oil Industrial Group and the Chang’an Twelve Hours cultural district. These visits offer further opportunities to explore how Xi’an is preserving its heritage, supporting industrial innovation, and opening up to the world—and to use cultural exchange as a bridge for telling China’s story and Xi’an’s story, deepening mutual understanding between China and other nations.

Since the Orchid Awards was inaugurated, the series has traveled to Beijing, Guangzhou, Dunhuang, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Harbin. Through site visits and face-to-face discussions, the Xi’an stop gives international guests an immersive taste of China’s millennia-old cultural heritage—and a firsthand look at the country’s modern vitality. It provides a forum for deepening cultural exchange between China and the world.

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SOURCE ORCHID AWARDS SECRETARIAT

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Handmade businesses have a new marketplace – and they own it

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The general public can now both sell and shop unique creations on a better handmade marketplace that’s fully controlled and operated in-house, by artisan hands.

GLADSTONE, Ore., Oct. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Exactly three years after launching it’s beta test, this week Artisans Cooperative opened it’s online marketplace platform for handmade goods run by people and for people. The general public can now both sell and shop unique creations on a better handmade marketplace that’s fully controlled and operated in-house, by artisan hands.

Artisans Cooperative marketplace is a fair, artisan-owned platform that values craftsmanship, transparency, and ethical trade.The massive influx of mass-produced, drop-shipped goods on major platforms like Etsy and Amazon has made it nearly impossible for authentic artisans to survive on mainstream marketplaces. Creative business owners want to be part of something genuine that stands for honesty instead of profits, and cares to market their products directly to customers who value handmade goods and the artisans who create them. Meanwhile, conscious shoppers are looking for shame free shopping where they can make their dollar count in supporting creative livelihoods.

“Artists and crafters NEED a space that isn’t just another venture capital-funded business…So this is exactly the right combination of ideals and beliefs that I’ve been looking for”. – Artisans Member

“It has been harder and harder to find authentic and handmade items for years. I hate having to search through 15 pages of dropship shops before finding an actual artist. Artisans Cooperative makes it easy!” – Artisans Member, Lizzy

Mass-produced, drop-shipped goods and increasingly volatile rules and fees make it nearly impossible for authentic artisans to survive, even with the support of conscious shoppers. None of that is welcome at Artisans. Skill and judgment must be so critical to the creation process of listed products that experienced industry peers can verify the artisan could have potentially ruined listed products in the process, but they didn’t. Simple, transparent commissions from free listings keep authentically handmade goods available at reasonable prices for shame-free shopping by customers who value the story and artistry behind the piece.

“I don’t want to line the pockets of large corporations who only look out for themselves. Instead, I want to support the people who are making things and have a small portion go to … connecting the buyers and sellers”. – Artisans Member, Adam

“I love that my handmade work has a place among … other authentically handmade artisan products. I really appreciate that Artisans Cooperative puts it’s artisans first.” – Artisans Member, Erin

About Artisans Cooperative Artisans Cooperative built a better handmade marketplace for the online creative community following the collective loss of trust in Etsy management after the 2022 #EtsyStrike.

Media Contact

mastress, Artisans Cooperative, 1 503-789-2805, people@artisans.coop, artisans.coop

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SOURCE Artisans Cooperative

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