Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Arizona marches to the beat of its own drummer. But if that drummer gets upset and starts hollering on the Internet, he might get tossed in the clink.

After spending years targeting illegal aliens, the Grand Canyon State is turning its sights on obnoxious Internet users (commonly called 'trolls'). A new update to the state's telecommunications harassment bill could make the practice of harassing people online illegal.

Arizona House Bill 2549 has already passed both of the state's legislative bodies and is currently sitting on the desk of Governor Jan Brewer. While there's a lot in there that doesn't concern trolling, here's the line that has people worried:

It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use ANY ELECTRONIC OR DIGITAL DEVICE and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person.

Violators could be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor and face up to 6 months in jail. If electronic devices are used to stalk someone, the charges then become a Class 3 felony, with penalties ranging from a minimum sentence of two and a half years in jail for non-dangerous offenders with no prior record to 25 years.



At the heart of the bill is an anti-bullying agenda. Cyber-bullying has been on the rise in recent years and has been in the news lately. A 2010 report in The New York Times found that one of out five middle-school students said they had been victims of cyberbullying.

Despite its good intentions, the Arizona law is already being called "overly broad" by critics. By using vague terms like "annoy" and "offend," it could easily encompass Internet forums or even comments like the ones found at the end of this story.

Free speech groups say they don't believe the law would ever stand up to court scrutiny if Gov. Brewer does, in fact, sign it. And many have pointed out the flaws in the bill to the governor herself.

"Government may criminalize speech that rises to the level of harassment and many states have laws that do so, but this legislation takes a law meant to address irritating phone calls and applies it to communication on web sites, blogs, listserves and other Internet communication," Media Coalition wrote in a letter last week.

The inmates are running the asylum

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Politics ---> Moved


E for F-Mod!


tongue

Everything bad in the economy is now Obama's fault. Every job lost, all the debt, all the lost retirement funds. All Obama. Are you happy now? We all get to blame Obama!
Kemp currently not being responded to until he makes CONCISE posts.
Avogardo and Noir ignored by me for life so people know why I do not respond to them. (Informational)

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

i see a million jerks at the statehouse

singing

"all we are saaaaaaaying

is give flames a chaaaaaaaaaance"

The core joke of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is that of course no civilization would develop personal computers with instant remote database recovery, and then waste this technology to find good drinks.
Steve Jobs has ruined this joke.

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Does this mean I can start getting IC people prosecuted for trolling if they live in Arizona?  Awesome!

But anyway, I'm conflicted on moving this or leaving this here because, although definitely a politics issue, the thread serves two purposes: a place for political analysis on the merits of the discussion (which, if this manifested into such, would justify a move) and a public service announcement for IC people in general who live in Arizona.  Although that could be a very small minority, the likelihood of an Arizona IC player checking the politics forum is also very slim, whereas the likelihood of an Arizona IC player checking the general forum is much greater.

Anyway, I'll defer to another f-mod or mod who wants to intervene... but yeah, moving.

Make Eyes Great Again!

The Great Eye is watching you... when there's nothing good on TV...

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Somebody warn xeno they're gonna lock his ass up.

[I wish I could obey forum rules]

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Hmmmm, if it was to warn people in Arizona, wouldn't it belong in the Community Forum anyway? I mean, either way, it is somewhere useful now... tongue

I give your invention the worst score imaginable. An A minus MINUS!
~Wornstrum~

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

The good news is  this redneck law will be struck down.
Here are the consequences if free speech is not protected by a strong constitution.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17515992

The inmates are running the asylum

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

firsy they will claim itll save the children, then the will call it common sense speech conttol  next step total ban...


oh wait thats the second amendment .....

kudos tp Arizona for their constitutional carry, and immigration control laws shit is just out of control.

Re: Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

Law is being amended.

Was supposed to be an update to stalker laws gone bad by idiots who don't know what http stands for or how to check their email.

Everything bad in the economy is now Obama's fault. Every job lost, all the debt, all the lost retirement funds. All Obama. Are you happy now? We all get to blame Obama!
Kemp currently not being responded to until he makes CONCISE posts.
Avogardo and Noir ignored by me for life so people know why I do not respond to them. (Informational)