A world with no trolling

[dragonmegaXX]

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged...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.

Thoughts? At least they included the troll face.

"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."

That's specific right there.

Annoying a person with my ipod is worth 6 months.

[flipsta_lombax]

I seriously think Arizona government should grow a pair. Cyber bullying is now a big deal because ones who get attacked ends up killing themselves.

Seriously, balls. Go big or stay home.

[I like it]

hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahah no

[who_cares973]

i read that part of the bill as HEY ****** IF YOU DONT STOP BEING A ****** IM GOING TO HIT YOU WITH MY LAPTOP YOU PUNK ASS BITCH

[justin_ator]

I lol'd

[Jerry DB]

chuck liddel:"I hate kids like you"

first person to tell me what that's from gets 5000 credits.

Why not lol

[Mau5]

Just backtrace it and report it to the cyberpolice, not that hard.

[justin_ator]

also LMFAO AT 2.5 YEARS MINIMUM FOR INTERNET STALKING, GG FACEBOOK

[AlexDest]

just one step closer to world peace.........

[UserNameGoesHere]

The problem is it's overly vague. What is offensive to one person is not to another and it's literally impossible to write just about anything without offending at least one group these days.

It's badly-worded, overly vague, assumes technology is somehow "magical" and needs different rules. Slashdot would have a field day with this one (may already have had a field day with it)

It's the same bad assumptions as people who want different rules for the same activity but depending whether it was "ON THE INTERNET" or not. Clearly there should be no such distinction made.

[andy-o24]

If this passes, I'm retiring from the internet.

-o24

[DossarLX ODI]

Play Slashmaid file on DF after asking for teacher permission to play FFR
Teacher hears "sexually suggestive" vocals
OFFENDED!!1!!!!11onenone
Intention: To intimidate others by making them feel uncomfortable, and threaten to portray women as sex toys. Lewd vocals are present, suggests lewd acts, threat of psychological damage present.
Score: AAA

HOLY SHIT I JUST GOT 6 MONTHS IN JAIL CONGRATULATIONS

[qqwref]

I chalk it up to yet another case of certain people not understanding that the only difference between "electronic or digital devices" and other methods of communication is that they don't use the former. Acting like it's somehow fundamentally different to annoy someone on the internet and to annoy someone in real life is only possible if you don't understand what the internet is.

I don't expect this to go anywhere, but you never know. If it passes, uh, move out of Arizona? lol


The irony of democracy: if you could elect anyone to represent your interests in the government, would a politician be your first choice?

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Those morons. Didn't they learn to not **** with the internet the first time...

WELP.

[Bluearrowll]

This article is probably a troll.

[25thhour]

Can't tell if serious, or trolling.

[adlp]

its a troll you are all retarded

brb jail for 6 months

[nois-or-e]

Consequences will never be the same~

[welsh_girl]

Trolling the trolls. GG

[Hateandhatred]

Originally Posted by nois-or-e

Consequences will never be the same~

Lmfao

Anyway, while this article is major lulz, there sure is an issue on the internet (don't start flaming me for this)

I mean, some stuff go wayyyyy beyond free speech. But there's already some regulation with that, like you can't send anyone death threats because you feel like being an internet boss.

This article is just way too vague and retarded.