[thaiwonon]

:shock: this has completely slipped under the radar and I've seen no media comment anywhere :
Commentary--Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime. 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.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6024695.html

did someone mention Hedda ?

[luvthai]

I am sure this would only pretain to US citizens so everyone else can continue to be their annoying (if the shoe fits??) selves.

[Silom]

I read somewhere that American federal law lists 3 000 crimes that can lead to prison. I guess this makes it 3 001.

[thaiwonon]

your'e beginning to annoy me

this is one of the problems of the internet..just where do these sort of laws and particularly libel laws actualy apply ?

The chances of someone being charged under such a law must be remote but that doesn't mean it might not be used selectively.

[cottmann]

If the new US legislations is as effective at that aimed at spamming, nothing will change.

[luvthai]

If i am annoying you thaiwonon then i must be doing something right. Just use the ignore button and then no one is breaking the law.

[DELETED]

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[thaiwonon]

and my apologies. You are indeed one of the few brave enough to post under your own name so this law obviously won't apply to you.

[wowpow]

thaiwonon has annoyed, abused, threatened, and harassed me by his post, tone and some of the company in which he includes my name. Please advise how to sue and likely damages or if this is a Police or FBI matter can I have his name and address for blackmail purposes.

[Elephantspike]

You guys are all annoying the crap out of me! I am contacting the CIA and having you all extradited to the USA for prosecution. :lol:

[thahaan]

Why not just read the law before you rant and rave about what you think it might be about? Here is the link to "Section 113. Preventing Cyberstalking" Enjoy :-)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c ... s4o:e91030:

SEC. 113. PREVENTING CYBERSTALKING.

(a) In General- Paragraph (1) of section 223(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(h)(1)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking `and' at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting `; and'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

`(C) in the case of subparagraph (C) of subsection (a)(1), includes 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 (as such term is defined in section 1104 of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 151 note)).'.

(b) Rule of Construction- This section and the amendment made by this section may not be construed to affect the meaning given the term `telecommunications device' in section 223(h)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934, as in effect before the date of the enactment of this section.

SEC. 114. CRIMINAL PROVISION RELATING TO STALKING.

(a) Interstate Stalking- Section 2261A of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`Sec. 2261A. Stalking

`Whoever--

`(1) travels in interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, or causes substantial emotional distress to that person, a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or the spouse or intimate partner of that person; or

`(2) with the intent--

`(A) to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States; or

`(B) to place a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to--

`(i) that person;

`(ii) a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115 of that person; or

`(iii) a spouse or intimate partner of that person;

uses the mail, any interactive computer service, or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce to engage in a course of conduct that causes substantial emotional distress to that person or places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any of the persons described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B);

shall be punished as provided in section 2261(b) of this title.'.

(b) Enhanced Penalties for Stalking- Section 2261(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(6) Whoever commits the crime of stalking in violation of a temporary or permanent civil or criminal injunction, restraining order, no-contact order, or other order described in section 2266 of title 18, United States Code, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 1 year.'.

[cottmann]

Hey, is this actually an anti-torture, anti-rendition, anti-invading foreign countries on false pretexts law? I mean the amendments to the law on stalking, not the internet irritation ones: Whoever--`(1) travels in .... foreign commerce .... with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, or causes substantial emotional distress to that person, a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or the spouse or intimate partner of that person;..."