Pixelated Semantics

Annoyance Crime 1.0

According to a law just passed in the US, it is now illegal to make anonymous internet postings that 'annoy' someone - posting 'annoying' Blog comments or sending 'annoying' e-mail messages without disclosing your 'true identity' could result in jail terms. The pixels will fly over this. Should not laws be passed by those who actually understand what they are regulating, or is that too logical to be political? The nexus of the 'offence' relies on the vague, arguable distinction between 'incidental annoyance' and 'intentional annoyance'. Might also the use of nicknames, monikers, and aliases online be now a crime? [Based on precedent, expect the Australian Government to do the same within months, by the way.]

Item posted by AutoEditor at 2:33 pm ::