A new law targeting online impersonation will go into effect after the New Year. Senate Bill 1411, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian of Palo Alto, whose district includes parts of Santa Cruz County, becomes law on January 1st. The law updates the current California 19th Century Impersonation Law to the internet age, and makes it a misdemeanor to impersonate another person through the internet or other electronic means with criminal intent to harm, intimidate, threaten, or defraud. The penalties for online impersonation are up to 1-thousand dollars and/or one year in jail.
