[quote][URL="http://www.azleg.gov//FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/50leg/2r/bills/hb2549s.htm&Session_ID=107"]Arizona State House of Reps[/URL] via [URL="http://cbldf.org/homepage/arizona-legislature-passes-sweeping-electronic-speech-censorship-bill/"]CBLDF[/URL] --Arizona House Bill 2549 passed both legislative houses last Thursday and is now awaiting approval from Arizona's governor Brewer. The statute states that:
[B][I]"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."[/I][/B]
If the electronic devices and means are employed to stalk a victim, the penalty bumps up to a class 3 felony.
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. 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, that basically puts the entire Internet on notice.
Proponents of the bill 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 [URL="http://gizmodo.com/5815031/lulzsec-dumps-classified-arizona-police-documents"]racial profiling[/URL], [URL="http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/09/06/20110906arizona-same-sex-partners-benefits-ruling.html"]anti-gay adoption[/URL], and [URL="http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/07/28/us-usa-immigration-arizona-idUSTRE66R45C20100728"]anti-immigration bills[/URL]—-have fared, House Bill 2549 might not be a law for long, assuming Governor Brewer even signs it.[/quote]
Source: [URL]http://kotaku.com/5898600/itll-soon-be-illegal-to-troll-in-arizona[/URL]
Alt. Source: [URL]http://www.technolog.msnbc.msn.com/technology/technolog/arizona-law-would-censor-internet-631407[/URL]
It's already illegal in the physical world, don't see any reason not to make it illegal online.
Oh yeah this is really going to help.
[quote]"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."[/quote]
And suddenly everyone went mute.
I can understand getting banned from a gameserver for being a dick, but making harrasment illegal is really stupid.
I'm against threatening with physical harm, but this is way too broad.
Edit:
Mah automerge!
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;35409716]It's already illegal in the physical world, don't see any reason not to make it illegal online.[/QUOTE]
It's going to be completely unenforcable on the internet, almost entirely left up to hearsay and personal bias.
Maybe it could work on facebook but anything else is just retarded.
[QUOTE=Megafan;35409728]It's going to be completely unenforcable on the internet, [I]almost entirely left up to hearsay and personal bias.[/I][/QUOTE]
And don't forget [I]personal feelings[/I].
In short, it's a disaster in the making.
[QUOTE=Johnny Guitar;35409721]I can understand getting banned from a gameserver for being a dick, but making harrasment illegal is really stupid.[/QUOTE]
Because harrasment is justified as long as it's online.
cyber bullying is a serious threat to american youth!
I can understand this. I've never really understood why everyone turns into rampant assholes as soon as they are anonymous anyway.
Not gonna work. The whole point of being an asshole on the internet is that it can't harm you in real life. If there were consequences, people would pretend to get along, like in real life.
So wait, would this make teabagging illegal?
I'll see you all in jail
[QUOTE=Reds;35409886]Not gonna work. The whole point of being an asshole on the internet is that it can't harm you in real life. If there were consequences, people would pretend to get along, like in real life.[/QUOTE]
Isn't that the point?
No need for a new fucking law. Just expand upon the existing harassment law and add emphasis for the internet being a covered medium of communication.
Kinda like how Hate Crime and Hate Speech should have just been an additional clause on existing laws.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;35409932]No need for a new fucking law. Just expand upon the existing harassment law and add emphasis for the internet being a covered medium of communication.
Kinda like how Hate Crime and Hate Speech should have just been an additional clause on existing laws.[/QUOTE]Those are federal laws I believe.
I don't think it's a bad idea, but this is a very poorly worded piece of legislation, I wouldn't pass it as is.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it already illegal to harass and bully others in real life? And if that's the case, wouldn't it be logical to do the same on internet?
[QUOTE=squids_eye;35409878]I can understand this. I've never really understood why everyone turns into rampant assholes as soon as they are anonymous anyway.[/QUOTE]
I think people are more themselves when not under identity or on a forum, trolling aside people usually give their honest opinions and views compared to talking face to face in the real world.
[QUOTE=Jack Trades;35409978]Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it already illegal to harass and bully others in real life? And if that's the case, wouldn't it be logical to do the same on internet?[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I'd say the existing law should be expanded to cover harassment over all known communications mediums rather than the creation of a new law.
[QUOTE=Jack Trades;35409978]Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it already illegal to harass and bully others in real life? And if that's the case, wouldn't it be logical to do the same on internet?[/QUOTE]
You can easily block people, or you can turn off your PC. This is not possible in real life. Besides, how are they going to enforce this? The most it'll do is limit facebook bullying a bit.
[QUOTE=squids_eye;35409878]I can understand this. I've never really understood why everyone turns into rampant assholes as soon as they are anonymous anyway.[/QUOTE]
Because they can say what they really think without a risk of being judged by their peers.
[QUOTE=squids_eye;35409918]Isn't that the point?[/QUOTE]
It's good to have a place to vent. If that was completely taken away emotions will bottle up again.
[QUOTE=Zezibesh;35410067]
It's good to have a place to vent. If that was completely taken away emotions will bottle up again.[/QUOTE]
If you need to vent your frustrations by being a complete and utter asshole, you've got issues.
They just don't understand the internet, fuck.
1. Nobody is nearly as offended by words on a screen as they are by physical harassment. I'd go as far as saying nobody [I]really[/I] cares what an internet stranger tells them online.
2. Contradictory to real life, you can do this funky thing called 'disconnect', which puts you out of harms way in an instant, if you will.
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;35410133]If you need to vent your frustrations by being a complete and utter asshole, you've got issues.[/QUOTE]
Those are rare (but serious) cases.
Thankfully most of them are isolated to a small part of the internet as we know it.
Some people just wanna watch the world burn, thankfully it's easier to ignore shit online.
I hate my state.
Does this meaning internet flaming or genuine internet harassment (i.e: 'doxxing') where the private life of the victim is revealed or something?
because if it's the latter cool
[QUOTE=desever;35410423]I hate my state.[/QUOTE]
Hatespeech! Arrest this unlawful citizen!
[QUOTE=Lonestriper;35410454]Does this meaning internet flaming or genuine internet harassment (i.e: 'doxxing') where the private life of the victim is revealed or something?
because if it's the latter cool[/QUOTE]
Anything that involves victim's real name should be illegal. Everything else like calling names on internet or random forums makes no sense to restrict.
[QUOTE=squids_eye;35409878]I can understand this. I've never really understood why everyone turns into rampant assholes as soon as they are anonymous anyway.[/QUOTE]
Others have given an answer, but this goes into detail;
[url]http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/02/10/deindividuation/[/url]
Maybe now I won't hear "gib mone pls" every 5 seconds
Instead it'll be every 6 seconds
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