| Author |
Thread |
|
Lilley
Advanced Member
Australia
3,740 posts
Joined: Jul, 2006
|
 Posted - 2012/04/12 : 00:34:32
Trolling Could Get You 25 Years in Jail in Arizona
One of the Internet's basic tenetsthe right to be as much of a myopic, infantile asshat as humanly possibleis currently under attack in Arizona. A sweeping update to the state's telecommunications harrasment bill could make naughty, angry words a Class 1 misdemeanor. Or worse.
It's a dangerous precedent, yet another bill written and supported by legislators who fundamentally don't understand the nature of the internet. And I'm not just being a, well, you know.
Arizona House Bill 2549 passed both legislative houses last Thursday and is now awaiting approval from Arizona's governor Brewer. The statute states that:
"It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use a 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."
Emphasis added. If the electronic devices and means are employed to stalk a victim, the penalty bumps up to a Class 3 felony.
For those not intimately familiar with Arizona penal law, a Class 1 misdemeanor is punishable by a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail (it's the most aggressive misdemeanor charge the state can bring). A Class 3 felony, meanwhile, carries a minimum sentence of 2.5 years for non-dangerous offenders with no prior record. And a max of 25 years in jail.
Opponents of the bill argue that the wording is overly broad and could easily be interpreted to include not just one-on-one communications but public forums like 4Chan, Reddit, and anywhere else that allows commenting. You thought the banhammer was bad? Try handcuffs.
It could also have a chilling effect on free speech by prohibiting shocking or "profane" language online. And since the bill stipulates that the offense only has to occur on Arizona soil (since a Facebook comment is definitely a geographic place, right?) that basically puts the entire Internet on notice.
The bill's supporters argue that the steps are necessary to prevent online bullying. Despite the public outcry, the bill has seen very little resistance from elected officials. However, given how well Arizona's other recent, short-lived, and generally draconian propositions-including its racial profiling, anti-gay adoption, and anti-immigration bills-have fared, House Bill 2549 might not be a law for long, assuming Governor Brewer even signs it.
In the mean time, feel free to leave your thoughts on the matter on Brewer's Facebook page. You know, while it's still legal.
__________________________________
nearly in line....
.....strange continuity problems
Alert moderator 
|
Dys7
Advanced Member
United States
1,231 posts
Joined: Nov, 2011
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 01:12:19
Tits
^
Cart me away, coppers!
__________________________________
The above comment was likely written when I was *literally* 13, so please don't judge me too hard.
---
The Spirit at the Edge of Infinity
Check out my cheesy fiddlings here:
http://soundcloud.com/dys7dj/
Alert moderator
Edited by - Dys7 on 2012/04/12 01:12:51 |
Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
13,163 posts
Joined: Jul, 2004
195 hardcore releases
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 06:38:16
Wow. They would love this site then.
__________________________________
---------------------------------------------
Samination, Swedish Hardcore DJ
Happy, UK Hardcore, Freeform, Makina and Gabber
http://samination.se/
---------------------------------------------
Alert moderator
|
Smoogie
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
6,502 posts
Joined: Mar, 2006
|
 Posted - 2012/04/12 : 13:04:38
So if we was to Troll here in the Uk would the Troll Police from Arizona come and get us?
__________________________________
.
Alert moderator
|
Lilley
Advanced Member
Australia
3,740 posts
Joined: Jul, 2006
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 13:13:45
quote:
Originally posted by Samination:
Wow. They would love this site then.
This site has nothing.
__________________________________
nearly in line....
.....strange continuity problems
Alert moderator
|
TheOneNOnly
Advanced Member
United States
1,937 posts
Joined: Oct, 2008
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 15:59:53
4Chan is DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!
__________________________________
New YouTube Account
The Past, The Present, The Future (CD One)
The Past, The Present, The Future (CD Two)
Alert moderator
|
Triquatra
Moderator
United Kingdom
12,635 posts
Joined: Nov, 2003
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 16:05:58
Trolls are being tracked down in the UK now as well, love it when they get caught
the post a picture and its usually a scummy fat old man who looks like all he's thinking about is where the next pub is and if he's got enough change to get a kebab..and then everyone laughs at their picture and they get a community sentance and arent allowed near a computer or internet ready device.. :D
__________________________________
Triquatra/Bee Trax/Cuttlefish
http://www.hardcoreunderground.co.uk/ - http://CLSM.net -
Alert moderator
|
jenks
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
3,687 posts
Joined: Feb, 2003
19 hardcore releases
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 19:22:47
It's a disgrace, frankly. I'm not surprised by the US doing this, there's a reason they lock up more f their population than any nation in human history, but I'm ashamed to see the UK doing something similar.
Alert moderator
|
Dys7
Advanced Member
United States
1,231 posts
Joined: Nov, 2011
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 19:40:45
I don't think triquatra is talking about people on forums posting "ur gay", I think they're going after the men who gang up on elementary school girls and send them death threats.
__________________________________
The above comment was likely written when I was *literally* 13, so please don't judge me too hard.
---
The Spirit at the Edge of Infinity
Check out my cheesy fiddlings here:
http://soundcloud.com/dys7dj/
Alert moderator
|
Triquatra
Moderator
United Kingdom
12,635 posts
Joined: Nov, 2003
|
Posted - 2012/04/12 : 19:43:40
you have to draw the line somewhere
http://www.theweek.co.uk/law/twitter/46244/troll-threatens-louise-mensch-which-child-should-die
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/13/internet-troll-jailed-mocking-teenagers
(just saw previous comment from dys, indeed I was refering to these two..though more recently the threats to Mrs Mensch)
nothing to be ashamed of imo, I would be more ashamed admiting that these two people getting sentanced didn't deserve what they got.
__________________________________
Triquatra/Bee Trax/Cuttlefish
http://www.hardcoreunderground.co.uk/ - http://CLSM.net -
Alert moderator
Edited by - Triquatra on 2012/04/12 19:46:30 |
Karthy
Senior Member
United Kingdom
337 posts
Joined: Jun, 2011
|
Posted - 2012/04/14 : 14:36:25
No no nooooo... We do not need a law for everything under the sun, if you can't handle what happens on the internet don't go on it, we don't need you on it anyway.
That's how I'm genuinely feeling right now, there's no escape for government control :'(
One day, I'll buy my own island with my own laws and shit, but you can't even do that :|
Alert moderator
|
Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
13,163 posts
Joined: Jul, 2004
195 hardcore releases
|
Posted - 2012/04/15 : 06:16:35
quote:
Originally posted by Karthy:
No no nooooo... We do not need a law for everything under the sun, if you can't handle what happens on the internet don't go on it, we don't need you on it anyway.
That's how I'm genuinely feeling right now, there's no escape for government control :'(
One day, I'll buy my own island with my own laws and shit, but you can't even do that :|
If you don't like screaming children, stay inside for all of your life... Is that what your telling us? Everyone has an equal right to stay outdoors/on the internet. But harassment on the internet should still be the same as harassment face to face. Only difference is that you can hide behind a computer.
__________________________________
---------------------------------------------
Samination, Swedish Hardcore DJ
Happy, UK Hardcore, Freeform, Makina and Gabber
http://samination.se/
---------------------------------------------
Alert moderator
|
Triquatra
Moderator
United Kingdom
12,635 posts
Joined: Nov, 2003
|
Posted - 2012/04/15 : 07:58:22
I think death threat to peoples children are a little worse than harassment hehe
__________________________________
Triquatra/Bee Trax/Cuttlefish
http://www.hardcoreunderground.co.uk/ - http://CLSM.net -
Alert moderator
|
Samination
Advanced Member
Sweden
13,163 posts
Joined: Jul, 2004
195 hardcore releases
|
Posted - 2012/04/15 : 08:56:50
quote:
Originally posted by Triquatra:
I think death threat to peoples children are a little worse than harassment hehe
but some of those kids can be annoying :(
But with parents that talk LOUD, no wonder the kids are on high volume
__________________________________
---------------------------------------------
Samination, Swedish Hardcore DJ
Happy, UK Hardcore, Freeform, Makina and Gabber
http://samination.se/
---------------------------------------------
Alert moderator
Edited by - Samination on 2012/04/15 08:57:19 |
|
Printer friendly
