[Vision2020] Beware, anonymous annoyers!

[Ron Force]

It's illegal to annoy

A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet, you
must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.

"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate
telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in
whole or in part, by the Internet... without disclosing his identity and
with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives
the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more
than two years, or both."

Declan McCullagh-
"...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."

Read the rest at:
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6024695.html?tag=nl.e589

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Ron Force          Moscow ID USA
rforce at moscow.com
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