Arizona Bill 'could' criminalize Internet Trolls

[Giccin]

Source: http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/arizona-bill-could-criminalize-internet-trolling-184547052.html

Arizona marches to the beat of its own drummer. But if that drummer gets upset and starts hollering on the Internet, he might get tossed in the clink. After spending years targeting illegal aliens, the Grand Canyon State is turning its sights on obnoxious Internet users (commonly called 'trolls'). A new update to the state's telecommunications harassment bill could make the practice of harassing people online illegal.
Arizona House Bill 2549 has already passed both of the state's legislative bodies and is currently sitting on the desk of Governor Jan Brewer. While there's a lot in there that doesn't concern trolling, here's the line that has people worried:
It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use 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.
Violators could be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor and face up to 6 months in jail. If electronic devices are used to stalk someone, the charges then become a Class 3 felony, with penalties ranging from a minimum sentence of two and a half years in jail for non-dangerous offenders with no prior record to 25 years.
[Related: 'Bully' Director Slams MPAA for 'Great Hypocrisy']
At the heart of the bill is an anti-bullying agenda. Cyber-bullying has been on the rise in recent years and has been in the news lately. A 2010 report in The New York Times found that one of out five middle-school students said they had been victims of cyberbullying.
Despite its good intentions, the Arizona law is already being called "overly broad" by critics. By using vague terms like "annoy" and "offend," it could easily encompass Internet forums or even comments like the ones found at the end of this story.
Free speech groups say they don't believe the law would ever stand up to court scrutiny if Gov. Brewer does, in fact, sign it. And many have pointed out the flaws in the bill to the governor herself.
"Government may criminalize speech that rises to the level of harassment and many states have laws that do so, but this legislation takes a law meant to address irritating phone calls and applies it to communication on web sites, blogs, listserves and other Internet communication," Media Coalition wrote in a letter last week.

Damn, does that mean I can't go on 4chan anymore? Someone must've really 'bullied' a politician.

Or.. does that mean all of the trolls on the interwebs gets fines? O_o

[old greg]

If electronic devices are used to stalk someone, the charges then become a Class 3 felony, with penalties ranging from a minimum sentence of two and a half years in jail

Two and a half years in Desert-Tent-Jail seems a bit harsh of a punishment just for using Facebook.

[Dark]

That means I will not see troll face anymore in the future?

[vaporiz]

This is bad. Trolling is one of the best things on the internet. It's what keeps it from being bland and boring :/.

Though I do see the reasoning behind this as cyber bullying has become such an issue.


I'm just curious as to how to they will enforce this if it actually comes into effect. Trolling is hard to define.

[neutron256]

I get terrify, intimidate (maybe), or threaten (depending on what the threat is), but harass, annoy, or offend?

I'm supposed to only say things that can't offend anyone? You can't say anything without offending someone.

[Ryephile]

It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use 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.

*looks for political face-palm emoticon*

This seems par for the everyone's-offended-about-everything-and-it's-someone-elses-fault era we're currently in. You pretty much can't say anything accurate or truthful without someone taking it out of context and getting offended.

If they pass this, it had better apply to "real world" bullying speech also. This country doesn't need yet another double-standard.

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by old greg

Two and a half years in Desert-Tent-Jail seems a bit harsh of a punishment just for using Facebook.

Heh.

[7thgear]

this is a step in the right direction

i'm glad to have only been through a single stream of social development (ie, public education institution) and bypassed the whole online thing.

but kids today have it pretty tought, especially if their parents are complete idiots who don't know how to monitor/educate the online stuff.

they just need to word it right and implement the policies correctly (no abusing power)

[Longhorn248]

Sorry guys, this bill is way too broad in it's language and won't stand up in court. If anyone is curious why then go ahead and read the First Amendment of the Constitution and that should clear things right up for you.

[Cross]

Well this should be interesting......

[Muaddib]

George Orwell is rolling in his grave right now.

[RFB]

Originally Posted by Muaddib

George Orwell is rolling in his grave right now.

Socialism (big brother) is death by a thousand cuts.

One morning you wake up and all freedom is gone.

And you become slaves.

I would rather be a slave to the dollar than to the government.





CERBERUS

[RFB]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

this is a step in the right direction

i'm glad to have only been through a single stream of social development (ie, public education institution) and bypassed the whole online thing.

but kids today have it pretty tought, especially if their parents are complete idiots who don't know how to monitor/educate the online stuff.

they just need to word it right and implement the policies correctly (no abusing power)

Your avatar used to be the russian hammer and sickle

Was it not ?

[f0rge]

Yikes the way this is worded you could face jail time for swearing at your friend via text.

Sexting is also out the window.

And all those girls that post selfies that I follow on twitter.

Scary.