NationStates Jolt Archive

So, it doesn't have a chance in hell of passing, but it made me giggle at the thought.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=15099

An internet bill re-introduced in Congress by Representative Linda Sanchez aims to turn internet flaming and harassment into a felony, with a growing number of Congressman and others becoming familiar with the bill.

Specifically, H.R. 1966, originally filed on April 2, will make it a felony if the messages have "the intent is to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person." People using electronic means to harass others face possible fines or jail sentence up to two years, or both.

To date, the bill has the support of Sanchez and 14 other members of Congress, with Sanchez continuing to rally support for the bill.

Critics of the bill have come forward, as one blogger from the National Review Online's Media Blog called the bill the "Censorship Act of 2009." UCLA Law Professor Eugene Volokh also criticized the bill, saying a number of everyday scenarios could be considered illegal by the bill, if the communications are "severe" enough.

Sanchez decided to create the bill, called the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, after Megan Meier killed herself in 2007 after being bullied on social networking MySpace. This is the second attempt, after a previous one in May 2008, to have the bill signed into law.

Sanchez defended the bill, stating, "Congress has no interest in censoring speech and it will not do so if it passes this bill. Put simply, this legislation would be used as a tool for a judge and jury to determine whether there is significant evidence to prove that a person 'cyberbullied' another. That is: did they have the required intent, did they use electronic means of communication, and was the communication severe, hostile, and repeated. So—bloggers, emailers, texters, spiteful exes, and those who have blogged against this bill have no fear—your words are still protected under the same American values."

It should be interesting to hear what other politicians and internet privacy experts say when they become aware of the bill that seemingly has slipped through the cracks up until this point. The bill likely won't come close to being signed into law, but free speech experts are surprised 15 members of Congress are supporting the bill, and are looking for others to also support it.

This kind of made me giggle, in my sick little way. What do you think NSG, should "cyberbullying" be a felony?

Lulzabub.

If it does pass I am rioting in the streets.

American doesn't own the internet.

*gets stuffed in the paddy wagon by the plods for some extreme porn*

Moronocity. How on Earth would you even begin to enforce this?

Moronocity. How on Earth would you even begin to enforce this?

in much the same way as you do for any other case of harassment :confused:

So, it doesn't have a chance in hell of passing, but it made me giggle at the thought.
never state the odds... you can never tell what can become a law. ;)

This kind of made me giggle, in my sick little way. What do you think NSG, should "cyberbullying" be a felony?
it should be treated like any other bullying.

If it does pass I am rioting in the streets.
not rioting on the Information superhighway?

Moronocity. How on Earth would you even begin to enforce this?

first you deputize the mods...

in much the same way as you do for any other case of harassment :confused:

The problem is that with non-tubes harassment, you're going to be in roughly similar locales which can be enforced using local law enforcement. In this case, you're looking at people not just not in the same locale, but different states, countries and even in space if you've got a rude astronaut.

The problem is that with non-tubes harassment, you're going to be in roughly similar locales which can be enforced using local law enforcement. In this case, you're looking at people not just not in the same locale, but different states, countries and even in space if you've got a rude astronaut.

I figure being permanently banned from the internet connection might be effective and rather easy to enforce if you get the ISP's on side

A felony?

coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person

But that's why Al Gore invented the intertubes.

The details of the girl that killed herself are nothing like I have seen on NSG. (pretending to be someone else and deliberatly trying to depress a girl with known mental issues)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Meier

That's some pretty cruel stuff. The mods here would never allow somthing like this to happen on NSG. We are safe I'd think.

I figure being permanently banned from the internet connection might be effective and rather easy to enforce if you get the ISP's on side

Then you can VPN in from Canada...

You can't harass someone on the telephone, via the US postal service or in person. I don't see why using the internet should be any different.

if the people affected by 'cyberbullying' are so butthurt about that, how do they live in real life..?

American doesn't own the internet.

*gets stuffed in the paddy wagon by the plods for some extreme porn*

Huh? pain by self inflicted snu snu?

if the people affected by 'cyberbullying' are so butthurt about that, how do they live in real life..?
simple... it's called a 'lawsuit'. :D

American doesn't own the internet.

*gets stuffed in the paddy wagon by the plods for some extreme porn*

I think the point is that they would only enforce it if the cyberbully was in the US.

I can see the point behind it. There was that one case where some kid's mother led this girl on on myspace and then tore her apart metaphorically, leading to the girl's suicide. Or was it a guy? I dunno. Either way, it was a stupid reason for a suicide but I think it's shyte like that that the bill is aiming to stop.

Incidentally, is it not illegal to go up to random people on the street and yell "niggerfaggot" at them while proclaiming the Holocaust was a myth just so you can watch them get pissed off?

Actually, now that I think about it, half of NS could sue various members for libel. It'd cost more than you'd get, but you could do it.

Flaming on the internet isn't cyberbullying to my mind. A concerted and deliberately targeted campaign of hate, on the other hand, is.

For all the problems of enforcement, I'd say it probably should be illegal for severe cases, like regular bullying, since when people happen to be from a similar area then that can be tackled. I would also think most cases of cyberbullying are between people who have some previous connection anyway, so offenders from similar areas to the victim might be a sizeable proportion of those impacted.

Next thing you know, they're gonna say that txtspk is destroying American language and make that a crime...

Master, you need to stop smoking those Cheeze Doodles. You're up to 2 bags a day now.:(

Master, you need to stop smoking those Cheeze Doodles. You're up to 2 bags a day now.:(

Hey Nan, how've you been?

Next thing you know, they're gonna say that txtspk is destroying American language and make that a crime...

I would not be against such a law.

I would not be against such a law.
*cites the first amendment to an obviously joking post. Acts serious, and as if I had my feathers in a ruffle*

They should rename it to the "Proxy Server Stimulus Package".

*cites the first amendment to an obviously joking post. Acts serious, and as if I had my feathers in a ruffle*

That assumes I live in the US and care about its constitution's amendments.

And, as I often remind people who invoke it, freedom of speech is not the freedom to say whatever the hell you want however the hell you want to. It's the freedom to express your thoughts and opinions, weighed against others' rights to not be assaulted with vulgarities, child pornography, and copyright violations.

Also, this amuses me greatly:

Distinctions are often made between speech and other acts which may have symbolic significance. Efforts have been made to ban flag desecration, for example, though currently that act remains protected speech. vagina!

There are laws against assault and against slander. But what really makes "flaming" less attractive in the real world is the prospect of being immediately punched in the face.

So I propose that all computers, phones, internet kiosks, fridges -- every internet-enabled device -- be required to have a working Right Hook, which can be activated by any other internet user who is pissed-off at what has just come forth from said device.

Punching someone in the face using their own device would of course be illegal. But making it possible would vastly reduce the amount of bullying and plain bad manners which occurs on the internet. It deserves serious study!

An old account of mine got banned for posting "are you stoner bear?" quizzes.

Not likely this over regulated place will feel any federal wrath then.

However, they did leave Goofballs alone, which may be a sign of criminal leniency.

Being in Brazil, said law would mean nothing to me. :D

Omoshiroi da yo! :D

Whats to prevent people from forging the Internet harassment?

I was watching Unsolved Mysteries over the weekend, and they talked about a case where a woman talked to a guy online, talked about abuse from her husband, etc. They make plans to kill the husband and run off together. The guy kills the husband, and then the woman starts claiming that the evidence (which is their Internet chat with one another) was forged by the man himself.

Whats to prevent people from forging the Internet harassment?

I was watching Unsolved Mysteries over the weekend, and they talked about a case where a woman talked to a guy online, talked about abuse from her husband, etc. They make plans to kill the husband and run off together. The guy kills the husband, and then the woman starts claiming that the evidence (which is their Internet chat with one another) was forged by the man himself.

umm. They have these things called "server logs" now.

umm. They have these things called "server logs" now.

Hmm true. I think this murder case was back when the Internet was just becoming used by the average joes.

If I can just remember who the murderer was, I could post a link.

I believe this means Americans automatically lose all flame wars ever. Why are these people trying to punish the USA's brave fighting keyboard warriors?

Stupidity is at once simultaneously the source of much entertainment and emotional anguish.

Now I have somewhat mixed feelings about this. On the one hand indirect/social aggression (of which cyberbulling forms a part) can cause a lot of psychological damage - it is related to increases in mental problems, depression, self-harm and suicide in it's victims.

On the other hand by it's nature it's indirect, it's subtle and it's difficult ot prove - certainly when you come to intention where a lot of things can be passed off as 'just joking'. I'd say that severe cyber-harrasment should probably be covered but then I believe that harrasment is already covered by law, why do you need a new one to cover it happening on the internet?

Now I have somewhat mixed feelings about this. On the one hand indirect/social aggression (of which cyberbulling forms a part) can cause a lot of psychological damage - it is related to increases in mental problems, depression, self-harm and suicide in it's victims.

On the other hand by it's nature it's indirect, it's subtle and it's difficult ot prove - certainly when you come to intention where a lot of things can be passed off as 'just joking'. I'd say that severe cyber-harrasment should probably be covered but then I believe that harrasment is already covered by law, why do you need a new one to cover it happening on the internet?

This is essentially my viewpoint. Thanks for taking the time to write it out for me so I didn't have to spend 3 hours rephrasing it.

This is essentially my viewpoint. Thanks for taking the time to write it out for me so I didn't have to spend 3 hours rephrasing it.

You're welcome, I aim to be useful :D

This kind of made me giggle, in my sick little way. What do you think NSG, should "cyberbullying" be a felony?
Cyberbullying and being insulting are two different things. Congressmen, being old hypocrites, don't understand the difference.

I suggest that Katganistan be appointed the US Cyberbullying Czar.

"Grow a thicker skin. You can appeal to the Supreme Court."

Stupidity is at once simultaneously the source of much entertainment and emotional anguish.

"At once" and "simultaneously" are redundant.

Then, having wasted words, you save a word or two at the end. "...and OF emotional anguish" or even more poignantly, "and the source of much emotional anguish" reads better.

Like this: "Stupidity, oh most eloquent and revealing stupidity, is at once the source of much entertainment, but also of emotional anguish."

I wrote for Disraeli, y'know. I'm still pissed that he didn't use my stuff.

This could mean the end to all those wonderfully stimulating Amerifag vs Eurofag flame thread. :(

"At once" and "simultaneously" are redundant.

Then, having wasted words, you save a word or two at the end. "...and OF emotional anguish" or even more poignantly, "and the source of much emotional anguish" reads better.

Like this: "Stupidity, oh most eloquent and revealing stupidity, is at once the source of much entertainment, but also of emotional anguish."

Pedant :p

I wrote for Disraeli, y'know. I'm still pissed that he didn't use my stuff.

Wow you're old :eek: Tell me, how does it feel having lived through all the momentous changes of the past 200 years?

Wow you're old :eek: Tell me, how does it feel having lived through all the momentous changes of the past 200 years?

Banning morphia was a huge mistake. And free public dental care can't come too soon.

Hey Nan, how've you been?

'Sup, Rhyno? Me? Drinking sweet tea and acting like a Southern belle. You?

Nanny State.

"WAAAAH the mean person on the internet made me feel bad WAAAAH!"

I mean, I can see where the legislation is coming from, but you just know this will be abused.

'Sup, Rhyno? Me? Drinking sweet tea and acting like a Southern belle. You?

Getting a job and finding a place to stay. Doin' my thing on NS. Chillin'.

Getting a job and finding a place to stay. Doin' my thing on NS. Chillin'.

That's good. :)