Crank Blogging, Like Phone Calling, Now Illegal

[Bob Hubbard]

Crank Blogging, Like Phone Calling, Now Illegal
Posted by jamie on Monday January 09, @12:00PM
from the do-people-get-prosecuted-for-this? dept.

On Thursday, President Bush signed into law a must-pass DoJ appropriations bill which contained a little gotcha for the internet. For decades, making anonymous abusive phone calls has been a federal crime, good for up to two years behind bars -- and the term "abusive" has included threats, harassment, and the much weaker "intent to annoy." Now, that telecommunications law has been extended to include the Internet, so when you post an anonymous troll to wind up your least-favorite blogger, you may break the law. This is silly: the law needs to start taking into account the qualitative differences between things like telephones, email inboxes, blogs, and IM accounts. A 3 AM phone call is different from a post to blogger.com calling me a jerk. I don't need federal protection from that Night Elf who keeps /chickening my Orc.
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[Bob Hubbard]

Does this mean I can now report Forum Trolls to the Feds?

 

[The MMA kid!]

how do they expect to catch the trolls?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Short version: Every time you access a website, your access is logged. That information can be used to locate your ISP, your ISP is then ordered to identify you, and the boys in blue show up and haul ya in. Thats the short version.

 

[Ping898]

Short version: Every time you access a website, your access is logged. That information can be used to locate your ISP, your ISP is then ordered to identify you, and the boys in blue show up and haul ya in. Thats the short version.

Though there are many ways around having your true location logged.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

True, there are a few ways, though they often don't work with newer forum/blog programs.

 

[arnisador]

It's the end of the Internet! Film at 11!

Seems an exaggerated response to me...

 

[arnisador]

True, there are a few ways, though they often don't work with newer forum/blog programs.

Can't you just use an anonymizer to get a new IP? If you also use something other than your usual browser, all should be pretty safe...unless the NSA is logging every line into and out of the anonymizer sites.

 

[Andrew Green]

So... public terminals and wardriving when I want to troll from now on?

 

[arnisador]

We had a student try this a few years back for a spoofed e-mail...he used a public terminal at another school. But, security cameras + timestamping identified him reasonably well...

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Remember, the key words here are "anonymous" and "annoying".
Being a jerk under your own name is still perfectly legal.

As to anonimity, there are ways to work around things like IP logging. They however, don't ensure 100% problem free access. I tested several out a few years ago, and found that when using them to their full privacy levels, I wasn't able to access email, login to forums, etc.

There are also patches available which allow a site to "lock out" annonymous traffic, by using lists of known proxy and anonymizer sites. One such hack exists for this software for example, and is about 80-85% accurate in denying access to anonymizer users. (Also blocks AOL as well. LOL)

Personally, I think the law, as passed, is very poor and going to cost a ton of cash in BS lawsuits to fix/remove.

 

[Kreth]

One such hack exists for this software for example, and is about 80-85% accurate in denying access to anonymizer users. (Also blocks AOL as well. LOL)

You say this like it's a bad thing.
A few years ago, a telemarketer was trying to sell me on AOL broadband. I told him that I was happy with vanilla Roadrunner. He kept pushing, and I finally said, "Look, I don't want AOL! You people put too many ****ing morons on the Internet!" All, I heard was "Oh..." before I hung up on him... :lol:

 

[michaeledward]

Remember, the key words here are "anonymous" and "annoying".
Being a jerk under your own name is still perfectly legal.

Well, thank heavens for that

 

[Rich Parsons]

Does this mean I can now report Forum Trolls to the Feds?

Yes!

And if they are from another country we can have our military move in and capture them and occupy their country until a new government is in place.

Seriously, How does the deal with someone in Canada posting on a USA Blog?

 

[bignick]

Seriously, How does the deal with someone in Canada posting on a USA Blog?

Maybe they shouldn't be allowed...

:uhyeah:

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Maybe they shouldn't be allowed...

:uhyeah:

Nah, some of our best members are Canadians.

I think this is one more symptom of the disease of trying to legislate away every problem and nuisance.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Nah, some of our best members are Canadians.

So they keep telling us : )

 

[Henderson]

Maybe they shouldn't be allowed...

:uhyeah:

:rofl:

 

[Cryozombie]

This thread annoys me.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Well, I'm safe. I'm using my real name.