| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"tightwad" |
| Date: |
09 Jan 2006 03:32:28 PM |
| Object: |
FWD: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of
Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and
Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include
stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv
Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet,
you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.
"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to
originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are
transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or
harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined
under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit
called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone
harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
.
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| User: "J Young" |
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| Title: Re: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
09 Jan 2006 05:12:42 PM |
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"tightwad" <@plum.net> wrote in message news:KDAwf.311$be7.109@fe04.lga...
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of
Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and
Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include
stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv
Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet,
you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.
"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to
originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are
transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or
harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined
under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit
called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone
harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
This law would be a relief if enforced.
.
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| User: "HangingJester" |
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| Title: Re: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
24 Jan 2006 04:18:12 AM |
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J Young wrote:
"tightwad" <@plum.net> wrote in message news:KDAwf.311$be7.109@fe04.lga...
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of
Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and
Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include
stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv
Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet,
you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.
"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to
originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are
transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or
harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined
under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit
called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone
harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
This law would be a relief if enforced.
This law is clearly unconstitutional.
.
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| User: "sam fisher" |
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| Title: Re: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
09 Jan 2006 04:44:59 PM |
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This would work for democrats because we don't need to flams since the facts
are on our side. Problem is that it's intended as selective reinfircement
just as drug laws: if a blask person is caught with pot he's persecuted
under federal statute while a white person is more likely to be tried under
much milder local laws. Now they can expand that jackbooted enforcement
policy against political dissenters.
"tightwad" <@plum.net> wrote in message news:KDAwf.311$be7.109@fe04.lga...
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of
Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and
Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include
stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv
Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet,
you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.
"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to
originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are
transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or
harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined
under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit
called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone
harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
.
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| User: "Mickey" |
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| Title: Re: FWD: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
09 Jan 2006 04:59:03 PM |
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tightwad wrote:
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
Identity on the internet is not necessarily one's real name. The use of
"handles" has a long history and obsuring email addresses to avoid
robotic spam is also a long accepted practice. I suspect prosecutors
will have a tough time convicting 'fatboy21@screwfoonetcast.com' for
flaming someone in a newsgroup or chatroom.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of
Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and
Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include
stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv
Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.
"What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet,
you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.
"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to
originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are
transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or
harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined
under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit
called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone
harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without
disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
This has so much potential to blow up in court. It seems too inept even
for Congress.
.
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| User: "wbarwell" |
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| Title: Re: FWD: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
10 Jan 2006 02:11:26 AM |
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Mickey wrote:
tightwad wrote:
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
Identity on the internet is not necessarily one's real name. The use of
"handles" has a long history and obsuring email addresses to avoid
robotic spam is also a long accepted practice. I suspect prosecutors
will have a tough time convicting 'fatboy21@screwfoonetcast.com' for
flaming someone in a newsgroup or chatroom.
No, its going to be used against people spilling the beans about a
company they work for, and such. Its a goody for big business.
--
"A dead religion is like a dead cat -- the stiffer and
more rotten it is, the better it is as a missile weapon."
- H.G. Wells
Cheerful Charlie
.
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| User: "sam fisher" |
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| Title: Re: FWD: Usenet Posters Can Be Imprisoned Under New Fed Law |
10 Jan 2006 06:07:41 PM |
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"wbarwell" <wbarwell@mylinuxisp.com> wrote in message
news:11s6r3ec90nmo7e@corp.supernews.com...
Mickey wrote:
tightwad wrote:
This Law's language is ripe for abuse by Government. IMHO
New Law Cracks Down on Blogs, e-'Harassment'
2006-01-09
Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
news.com
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a
prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-
mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a
blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for
small favors, I guess.
Identity on the internet is not necessarily one's real name. The use of
"handles" has a long history and obsuring email addresses to avoid
robotic spam is also a long accepted practice. I suspect prosecutors
will have a tough time convicting 'fatboy21@screwfoonetcast.com' for
flaming someone in a newsgroup or chatroom.
No, its going to be used against people spilling the beans about a
company they work for, and such. Its a goody for big business.
Which will make it impossible for real people to find out when companies are
breaking the law. 50% of the CIA is private cotractors, so we are back to
square 1: repubs can set up their police state easier ;)
--
"A dead religion is like a dead cat -- the stiffer and
more rotten it is, the better it is as a missile weapon."
- H.G. Wells
Cheerful Charlie
.
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