Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Annoying Someone Could Cost You 2 Years In Prison.

Being annoying via the internet is now against federal law and can cost you 2 years in prison. Is this going too far?

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.

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.

"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."

What is the world coming too? I am actually agreeing with the ACLU on something. I wonder if hell is freezing over.

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