New American Prohibition Concerning Internet Usage

**Peadar** · 12/01/2006, 8:47 AM

See here...

Here's the relevant text...

"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."

Wouldn't foot.ie be a very different place if we were subjected to this law!
It would certainly be less colourful anyway.

**the 12 th man** · 12/01/2006, 9:41 AM

Originally Posted by Peadar

Wouldn't foot.ie be a very different place if we were subjected to this law!
It would certainly be less colourful anyway.

Who knows Peadar?,it might smarten the place up a bit if people had to use their real name as opposed to our "net name".It would certainly cut down a good bit of the messing imnsho.....

**Eire06** · 12/01/2006, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by the 12 th man

Who knows Peadar?,it might smarten the place up a bit if people had to use their real name as opposed to our "net name".It would certainly cut down a good bit of the messing imnsho.....

What's your real name Peadar???

I don't really know about this one it has certain good points in that people have to be responsible for the comments they post but anonymity good too...

I think, on well moderated and controlled sites like this one

offensive comments are taken down and the offending posters are banned or warned as required, that not knowing people names is ok and works well but other sites such as the one recently in the news (Hate.com or something can't remember the name) that was used as a form of bulling children in a Dublin school require some sort of control to stop it being used in such a way

**Peadar** · 12/01/2006, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Eire06

(Hate.com or something can't remember the name)

hateboards.com I think.

**Eire06** · 12/01/2006, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Peadar

hateboards.com I think.

yep thats the one..
People were able to post on it without registering and this resulted on school children posting nasty comments about other children without signing your name to it!

**dahamsta** · 12/01/2006, 10:30 AM

The [Irish Times] reports that operators of the controversial Hateboard.com website have promised to delete messages and exercise more control over postings following episodes of online bullying involving Alexandra College students in Dublin. Site operators, who were tracked down by Bullying Online, claimed to be "shocked" at the students' misuse of the site, although the site's homepage still encourages students to post comments about anything or person they hate.

http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9662589.html

The American law, whether on purpose or not, is just plain badly written; badly drafted legislation seems to be increasingly common these days. McDowell's DoJ legislation, for example, is made all the worse for the clueless way it's drafted; although again, whether that's intentional or not is another matter entirely. I'd imagine McDowell is intelligent enough to spot the bad language, and intentionally ignore problems if they fall in his favour. He's not stupid. Just an asshóle.

adam

**REVIP** · 12/01/2006, 6:52 PM

Originally Posted by Ken Shabby

http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9662589.html

The American law, whether on purpose or not, is just plain badly written;

adam

How would the American law be enforced? Would operators of internet cafes be required to stand over people ensuring they log on to each website using the details on their driver's license?

It's gesture politics.