Arizona bill could criminalize Internet trolling

[booblinker]

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged...184547052.html

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.

[Related: 'Bully' Director Slams MPAA for 'Great Hypocrisy']

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.

[MonkeyBiz]

That is one of the stupidest fucking things ever, and somebody needs to go over there and kick their asses.. But do it in Spanish, seeing how most of their elected officials speak that as their 1st language.

I think I've cover everything..\

[mschaffer66]

Pussies...a country full of pussies...

Can we get a petition to have the National Anthem rewritten to end with:

O'er the land of the regulated and the home of the pussies!

[BlooMule]

Steveo is in Arizona?

[mschaffer66]

Originally Posted by BlooMule

Steveo is in Arizona?

Where has he been lately?

[dreezy]

Originally Posted by mschaffer66

Where has he been lately?

Library must be closed.

The cunt that came up with that bill needs to be kicked in the old reset spot.

[booblinker]

Originally Posted by mschaffer66

Where has he been lately?

I heard he got stampeeded by sheep.

[Renegade II]

Originally Posted by booblinker

I heard he got stampeeded by sheep.

Thought you had to be in front of them to get stampeeded

[kickstand]

Originally Posted by Renegade II

Thought you had to be in front of them to get stampeeded

Lol


Shit that bill is flat out stupid. Who's gonna regulate it? Jeepaholic type douchebag mods?

[addicted]

Originally Posted by kickstand

Shit that bill is flat out stupid. Who's gonna regulate it? Jeepaholic type douchebag mods?

He's probably behind all of it as part of his plan to ban you from the internet.

[Plato2k5]

GL4x4 is SCREWED!!!!!!!!

[forbyefore]

why is getting "annoyed" electronically any different than in real life?

[kerryann]

This is stupid. People need to learn how to deal with people of all personalities. What is next? Putting everyone on prozac so we are always happy, huggy and lovey?

[Renegade II]

Originally Posted by kerryann

What is next? Putting everyone on prozac so we are always happy, huggy and lovey?

Where do I sign up?

[kerryann]

Originally Posted by Renegade II

Where do I sign up?

It's probably somewhere in the obamacare legislation

[booblinker]

Originally Posted by kerryann

It's probably somewhere in the obamacare legislation

Wonder if white people would be required to take propranolol if he could write the law

A published Oxford University study says the drug -- propranolol -- made patients - less racially prejudiced.

Reportedly, a small group of people taking the drug were less racist than a group taking a placebo pill. Not everyone is convinced.

Dr. Karim Alkadhi said, "I think there's a lot of hullabaloo about it I think it's really early to make any real conclusion"

Dr. Ed Reitman said, "I wish there were a pill that worked that way but unfortunately that's not the case"

Doctors who reviewed the study say the drug lowers anxiety and makes patients feel calmer, making them appear to be less racially prejudiced

[smasheromalley]

Spammers and telemarketers should be killed. I support the bill.

[smasheromalley]

Oh, I also support cyber bullies.

[BlooMule]

I support athletics.

[AJ Hall]

Im moving there.. then you assholes cant mess with me