Annoying people on the Internet?

[IN-QQQQ]

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."

[Kaeto]

I heard about this over the internet, and it annoys me. Can I get the guy who posted it thrown in jail?

[Nastrand]

Dave, update your signature son..psst.. We don't play on Archimonde anymore.. :D

[Busan]

I find it ridiculous. God bless europe.

By the way, if someone goes ''stfu retrad lol'' on this forum without stating his name, the other guy can sue him? Neat.

[Scorch]

i'm canadian and can annoy people all i want

[IN-QQQQ]

Dave, update your signature son..psst.. We don't play on Archimonde anymore.. :D
OH SNAP!

Good eye, your ONE GOOD EYE!!

[IN-QQQQ]

I find it ridiculous. God bless europe.

By the way, if someone goes ''stfu retrad lol'' on this forum without stating his name, the other guy can sue him? Neat.

Actually it would be Fines and/or up to 2 years Jail time! =)
Crazy!

Btw your annoying me! j/k =)

[Jedus]

Look, it's the United States Govt. failing at trying to control the internet. :P

[eggrollking]

Before jumping on the "stupid george bush/usa govt" bandwagon that qqqq delicately laid out you should put things into perspective. This portion of the act is just a tiny part of a much broader bill that is for the protection of individual rights. This bill recognizes civil rights and, personal privacy rights. The lawmakers are just adding a new medium to an already established practice -- it's already illegal to prank call someone or anonymously leave a dead cat on someone's doorstep. This won't mean the end of forum flaming and the such, because the implication of this law is geared towards people who cyberstalk and who hav ea persistent malicious intent. The language of the law leaves a lot to be desired, but it's should be noted that every other internet law out there lags behind the technology it's set to govern, and this is really just another case of that.

Also, had George Bush not signed the bill he woudl basically be taking the position that he was against everything else in this huge fucking bill. (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h109-3402)

[keboman]

sup fags

[Rekuul']

Did a search for "annoy" on the posted document and got nada. Very annoying, I have a law suit pending.

[keboman]

I thought this was a new one of those urban legend things?

[eggrollking]

I thought this was a new one of those urban legend things?

why?

[WindiaN]

http://news.com.com/FAQ+The+new+annoy+law+explained/2100-1028_3-6025396.html

[Dunderdon]

this thread is annoying

you all are going to jail!!!!

[Rekuul']

http://news.com.com/FAQ+The+new+annoy+law+explained/2100-1028_3-6025396.html

In all seriousness, TLDR.

[WindiaN]

i didn't either, i just saw the follow up article and posted it hoping someone would discuss...

[eggrollking]

http://news.com.com/FAQ+The+new+annoy+law+explained/2100-1028_3-6025396.html

In all seriousness, TLDR.

the jist if the article was that the language of the new law is very vague