Text messaging dirty rumors. The posting of embarrassing pictures on Facebook or nasty comments on MySpace.

As technology-savvy students communicate through the Internet, as many as one-third say they've been a victim of cyberbullying, where schoolyard tactics of harassment and intimidation take to the Web, according to the National Crime Prevention Council.

"Texting, MySpace, that's their life. That what they know. That's what they use. That's how they communicate," said Clint Christopher, director of technology and curriculum at Moline School District. "For them, this isn't a new or different way of doing it. That's what they know."

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill into law this week that adds social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook to illegal venues for harassment.

Those found guilty of cyberstalking could be charged with a Class 4 felony, which is punishable by up to three years in prison. A sentence can jump up by two years in prison for repeat offenders.

There's already a cyberstalking bill on the books in Illinois, making it illegal to knowingly harass another person through the Internet.

"Nobody's asked us to prosecute it," said Jamie Boyd, Kankakee County state's attorney, who said the new bill might encourage more people to report cases. "As far as we know, it's not an issue in Kankakee at this point."

The state added social networking sites to the mix after a 13-year-old Missouri girl hanged herself in 2006 thinking she was being rejected by a 16-year-old boy she befriended online.

The "boy" was really a neighbor's mother posing as the 16-year-old, according to the U.S. State's Attorney's office. When breaking off the relationship, the woman allegedly told the girl, through the imaginary boy's MySpace page, that the world would be better off without her.

"This is certainly not going to stop anyone from getting bullied. We have plenty of laws on the books," said state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, one of two lawmakers who voted against the bill. "There's a thing called an off and on button. If someone's bullying your child, turn the computer off."

The new law takes affect Jan. 1, 2009.

"The sad part is it's out there and it's there for everyone to read," said Mike Tresnak, assistant principal at Ottawa Township High School, about cyberbullying. "If you say it in passing, it's done. Once you say it in cyberspace, it's permanently there."