Whatever happened to that once popular proverb often invoked by children on school grounds and public parks everywhere that went something like this: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”? Is it considered useless in the 21st century, if indeed it was ever useful, or are today’s policymakers overreacting to cyberbullying?

The answer to that really does not matter. Leaders in the Georgia General Assembly feel the time has come to crack down on those who would wage a verbal insult war on children via social media.

In fact, a measure has already been tossed into the hopper in the state legislature. Georgia Sen. Jason Anavitarte, a Dallas Republican, has introduced a bill designed to protect teens from cyberbullying and other stones cast at them on the World Wide Web.

It is a tough goal given the very nature of youth and their skills at using social media to spread cruel lies. It might go the same as it did in the olden days, with school principals or parents practically pulling their hair out trying to track down the source of a harmful rumor.

Nevertheless, Sen. Anavitarte and other legislative leaders like Lt. Gov. Burt Jones feel it is necessary. Their weapon of choice: Senate Bill 351.

Lt. Gov. Jones, R-Jackson, is wasting no time. He is already talking up the bill, promoting it with statements such as this: “We believe Senate Bill 351 is an important step forward in protecting Georgia’s children and giving them the tools they need to be safe in their use of social media and other technologies.”

Parents have plenty of cause for concern. A number of studies, for example, have shown that attacks on youth via social media can be hazardous and even increase their risk of suicide. Young girls, studies show, are particularly sensitive to cyberbullying.

In addition to mandating that social media outlets do more to verify the ages of users, the bill would require schools to update their monitoring of internet bullying. The Georgia Department of Education would be required to create programs geared toward educating students about the misuse of social media. Enforcement would be the withholding of state funds of any school system that failed to comply.

“No kid should have to worry and stress about bullying and online threats,” says Sen. Anavitarte.

We couldn’t agree more and support passage of this anti-cyberbullying legislation with the hope that it will be as effective as its sponsors anticipate it will be.