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Mon 9 Jan, 2006 03:49 pm
New Law Affects This Site!
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.
My real name is my name here, you little buggers :wink:
Quote:Perspective: Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
By Declan McCullagh
Published: January 9, 2006, 4:00 AM PST
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's illegal to annoy
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."
Full report
Oh good. It appears to be only email and other direct communication.
So the good news. It's not illegal to violate TOS. We can still do that to our hearts content. :wink:
Wow that is dumb. Who would of thought making a law for that
Okay ... I have a quite a little list going here. Walter -- if that is your real name -- I think I missed it in the article, but where I should go to complain about these annoying posters? And does this law apply to our international friends?
Also, one poster in particular has been especially annoying. Can he get a higher fine?
Oh, and please answer the above questions in 5 minutes or less, or I shall be duly annoyed and add you to my list.
I am guessing annoying avatars count as well under this new law.........
I would think so! Especially e-nnoying because they keep popping up repeatedly.
Hmmm. E-nnoying. I like that word....I just made it up.
Eva wrote:Hmmm. E-nnoying. I like that word....I just made it up.
Its annoying. You're going in as well.
I'll ask for the cell right next to you, nimh! HA!
It's probably to do with schoolyard bullying as kids are nasty. Remember the Columbia (?) shootings in Colorado? The shooters were victims of bullies. Bullying has extended to cellphone messaging similar to anonymous phone calls in the days of yore.
I find that law sent via the internet very annoying to me. Now President Bush committed a federal crime.
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