Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.543p (2026)

Internet or telecommunications or electronic device; prohibited use; violation as felony; penalty; definitions.

✓ current as of July 2026
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THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE


Act 328 of 1931


750.543p Internet or telecommunications or electronic device; prohibited use; violation as felony; penalty; definitions.

Sec. 543p.

    (1) A person shall not use the internet or a telecommunications device or system or other electronic device or system so as to disrupt the functions of the public safety, educational, commercial, or governmental operations within this state with the intent to commit a willful and deliberate act that is all of the following:

    (a) An act that would be a felony under the laws of this state, whether or not committed in this state.

    (b) An act that the person knows or has reason to know is dangerous to human life as that term is defined in section 543b of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.543b.

    (c) An act that is intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence or affect the conduct of government or a unit of government through intimidation or coercion.

    (2) A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $20,000.00, or both.

    (3) As used in this section:

    (a) "Computer network", "computer system", and "internet" mean those terms as defined in section 145d.

    (b) "Electronic device" means any instrument, equipment, or device having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.

    (c) "Electronic system" includes, but is not limited to, a computer system or computer network, digital broadcast system, or satellite network.

    (d) "Telecommunications device" means that term as defined in section 540c.

History: Add. 2002, Act 117, Eff. Apr. 22, 2002

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1 case, 2007–2007 · leading case: People v. Osantowski, 736 N.W.2d 289 (Mich. Ct. App. 2007).
People v. Osantowski, 736 N.W.2d 289 (Mich. Ct. App. 2007). “Certainly, it is not “fair” to tell the defendant to argue he had no intent to carry out the threat when it would then be incumbent on the trial court to instruct the jury that such an argument is irrelevant to its determination.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.