Illinois Statutes Chapter 740. Civil Liabilities § 195/5. Definitions

§ 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

“Course of conduct” means a pattern of conduct composed of 2 or more acts, evidencing a continuity of purpose.

“Electronic communication” means any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, or photo-optical system.

“Emotional distress” means significant mental suffering, anxiety, or alarm. “Emotional distress” is limited to emotional suffering that is protracted and not merely trivial or transitory.

“Family or household member” has the meaning given to the term “family or household members” in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.

“Personally identifiable information” means any information that can be used to distinguish or trace a person's identity, such as name, prior legal name, alias, mother's maiden name, and date or place of birth in combination with any other information that is linked or linkable to a person such as:

“Post” means to circulate, deliver, distribute, disseminate, transmit, or otherwise make available to 2 or more persons through electronic communication.

“Publish” means to circulate, deliver, distribute, disseminate, post, transmit, or otherwise make available to another person. “Publish” does not include writing or electronically communicating to one other person in private communications for which an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

“Regularly resides” means residing in the household with some permanency or regular frequency in the person's living arrangement.

“Stalk” or “stalking” has the meaning provided in Section 12-7.3 of the Criminal Code of 2012, except that “stalking” does not include an activity that is part of a protest that is protected by the United States Constitution or the Illinois Constitution.

“Substantial life disruption” means a material and significant alteration of an individual's livelihood. “Substantial life disruption” may include, but is not limited to, moving from an established residence, changing routes to and from work, changing employment or work schedule, or losing time at work or a job.