O Those Yanks!!!!!

Womble · 17-01-2006, 23:56

Under US Federal law (and fortunately juristiction) it is now illegal to annoy people anonymously via the web. The legislation passed last Thursday states that annoying another person via a telecommuncation medium (read: Internet) can result in a hefty fine, up to 2 years jail time or even both. This is despite the fact that it is against the first amemendment of the US Constitution.

Here's the legal bit:

Quote:
Whoever...utilizes 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... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

So before you all reply, may I remind you all that before saying bad things about President Bush, or anyone else who may be upset by such remarks, you may wish to post your real name in case you ever wish you set foot on American Soil.

Source: http://www.trickery.net/ and www.CNETnews.com

**Russ B** · 17-01-2006, 23:57

Moved to Current Affairs.

Womble · 17-01-2006, 23:59

Yeah, sorry, posted then thought....d'oh!
Already moved by the time my brain went into gear

Damien · 18-01-2006, 09:52

haha Mods could report Nugget, Nuggets gonna be doing some jail tiime for annoying the mods

Nugget · 18-01-2006, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

haha Mods could report Nugget, Nuggets gonna be doing some jail tiime for annoying the mods

Why? Last time I checked, I didn't do anything that was covered by federal law (unless the US have annexed Grimsby and I didn't notice

)

Anyway, I've never compared anyone to Bush (although I've often thought you're a bit of a thicket

)

**Chris** · 18-01-2006, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugget

Why? Last time I checked, I didn't do anything that was covered by federal law (unless the US have annexed Grimsby and I didn't notice

)

Anyway, I've never compared anyone to Bush (although I've often thought you're a bit of a thicket

)

Can I just point out that our server is currently based in the US, so you may be in extremely deep s**t right now. The extradition papers are on Jack Straw's desk as we speak.

Damien · 18-01-2006, 10:02

At uni we could told a story where someone was breaking US Law from russia so they posed as a fake company (or a real one) and invited him to a confrence in Las Vegas and arrested him at the airport

These servers are in the US at the moment arent they

BBKing · 18-01-2006, 10:03

Don't you have to annoy them directly? Presumably saying that Bush is a gutless moron who would have improved the world by changing his drinking habits to a pint of meths a day is just fair comment, since it's unlikely he'll read this. It's unlikely he *can* read, after all.

Mind you, you don't have to go to America. In this country shouting 'Nonsense' at someone twice now counts as harassment and reading out the names of the British dead in Iraq by the Cenotaph gets you dragged before the beak, so watch your step, sonny, or Big Brother will be after you.

Particularly if you shout 'Nonsense' at a Government Minister (can't imagine why you'd want to though

).

Nugget · 18-01-2006, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Can I just point out that our server is currently based in the US, so you may be in extremely deep s**t right now. The extradition papers are on Jack Straw's desk as we speak.

Hey I'll be alright then - I've always fancied checking out the States

Actually, thinking on, how could they prove that I even exist? Hmmmmm, I'M REALLY DAMIEN - I LOG ON UNDER THIS NAME TO TRY TO LOOK COOL!!!!

There, that should sort it

BBKing · 18-01-2006, 10:15

Quote:

The extradition papers are on Jack Straw's desk as we speak

Strangely enough it's not up to him. By a quirk of the legal system* there's only one judge who ever hears these extradition cases, a certain District Judge Timothy Workman. Aptly named, considering the Yanks are trying (successfully, since the extradition treaty is rigged in their favour) to legally kidnap anyone they think might benefit from a spell in Guantanamo (remember they don't have to have an actual case against someone in Britain to get them extradited, while we do, if, say, we wanted one of the numerous IRA men living it up in the States back over for some well-earned porridge).

*Magistrates do extradition cases, the most high-profile go to Bow Street, of those the most important go to the senior beak, which is Mr. Workman. I suggest that since they're rather important cases, a higher level of the court system than the one that deals with littering and being drunk and disorderly might be an improvement.

This particular beak has extradited Babar Ahmed, is doing Abu Hamza, tried to have an Israeli General arrested for war crimes, refused to extradite Zakayev and Berezovsky to Russia, where presumably we don't have a daft extradition treaty. He also did the first hearings for the 21st July 'bombers'. Busy man.

Bifta · 18-01-2006, 10:36

There's a forum on loveulster.com that's on a box hosted in the USA which has loads of members (mostly moderators who remain anonymous) posting defamatory & libelous comments purely to inflame other users, I don't know if it's as bad now but it got so bad that a few people tried to contact the hosting company and were told "any content on our server is covered by the first amendment, they can say whatever they like without any comeback"

Damien · 18-01-2006, 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugget

Hey I'll be alright then - I've always fancied checking out the States

Actually, thinking on, how could they prove that I even exist? Hmmmmm, I'M REALLY DAMIEN - I LOG ON UNDER THIS NAME TO TRY TO LOOK COOL!!!!

There, that should sort it

HEY!!! I'am already cool

Nugget · 18-01-2006, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

HEY!!! I'am already cool

That's only because your heating's not working

punky · 18-01-2006, 16:01

That's terrible. Everyone should be able to annoy, harass and abuse whoever they like over the internet.

You can't harass or annoy anyone over the phone, so why should it be any different over the internet? I think anyone taking the p**s out of this needs to know what its like.

And with regards to the "legal bit". People have been jailed for years for not disclosing what they know about a crime. But why let principals get in the way of justice, eh?

Bifta · 18-01-2006, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

And with regards to the "legal bit". People have been jailed for years for not disclosing what they know about a crime. But why let principals get in the way of justice, eh?

Sorry, are you trying to compare withholding evidence to annoying someone on the internet?