Trolling can get you arrested?

ZMan8 · 04-03-2012, 01:49 PM

Trolling Could Get You 25 Years in Jail in Arizona

Quote:

One of the Internet's basic tenets—the right to be as much of a myopic, infantile asshat as humanly possible—is currently under attack in Arizona. A sweeping update to the state's telecommunications harrasment bill could make naughty, angry words a Class 1 misdemeanor. Or worse.

It's a dangerous precedent, yet another bill written and supported by legislators who fundamentally don't understand the nature of the internet. And I'm not just being a, well, you know.
Arizona House Bill 2549 passed both legislative houses last Thursday and is now awaiting approval from Arizona's governor Brewer. The statute states that:

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

Emphasis added. If the electronic devices and means are employed to stalk a victim, the penalty bumps up to a Class 3 felony.

For those not intimately familiar with Arizona penal law, a Class 1 misdemeanor is punishable by a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail (it's the most aggressive misdemeanor charge the state can bring). A Class 3 felony, meanwhile, carries a minimum sentence of 2.5 years for non-dangerous offenders with no prior record. And a max of 25 years in jail.

Opponents of the bill argue that the wording is overly broad and could easily be interpreted to include not just one-on-one communications but public forums like 4Chan, Reddit, and anywhere else that allows commenting. You thought the banhammer was bad? Try handcuffs.

It could also have a chilling effect on free speech by prohibiting shocking or "profane" language online. And since the bill stipulates that the offense only has to occur on Arizona soil (since a Facebook comment is definitely a geographic place, right?) that basically puts the entire Internet on notice.

The bill's supporters argue that the steps are necessary to prevent online bullying. Despite the public outcry, the bill has seen very little resistance from elected officials. However, given how well Arizona's other recent, short-lived, and generally draconian propositions—-including its racial profiling, anti-gay adoption, and anti-immigration bills—-have fared, House Bill 2549 might not be a law for long, assuming Governor Brewer even signs it.

TerribleONE · 04-03-2012, 01:52 PM

I cant see the link at work for some reason... but Steve is gonna be screwed!

m4a1mustang · 04-03-2012, 01:52 PM

Horray for gubment!

TerribleONE · 04-03-2012, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

Horray for gubment!

you know we all <3 you

m4a1mustang · 04-03-2012, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerribleONE

you know we all <3 you

ZMan8 · 04-03-2012, 02:04 PM

Steve is not from arizona

ZMan8 · 04-03-2012, 02:05 PM

I updated the first post with a quote for those that the link doesn't work for.

TerribleONE · 04-03-2012, 02:06 PM

thanks man.. this just sounds like freedom of speech being taken away even more...

m4a1mustang · 04-03-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerribleONE

thanks man.. this just sounds like freedom of speech being taken away even more...

What else is new. Gov't loves to castrate the populace.

ZMan8 · 04-03-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerribleONE

thanks man.. this just sounds like freedom of speech being taken away even more...

yeah no surprise there. For a while now they have been trying to impose restrictions on the internet.

TerribleONE · 04-03-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

What else is new. Gov't loves to castrate the populace.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZMan8

yeah no surprise there. For a while now they have been trying to impose restrictions on the internet.

frost · 04-03-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

However, given how well Arizona's other recent, short-lived, and generally draconian propositions—-including its racial profiling, anti-gay adoption, and anti-immigration bills—-have fared, House Bill 2549 might not be a law for long, assuming Governor Brewer even signs it.

Remember the days when you could read a news article without such blatant bias? Me neither. Anyway, I've read the bill and it's obvious they are trying to do a good thing (stop intense cyber bullying and stalking), although I don't personally care if a few wimps off themselves every year because the cool kids send them nasty messages. But, their good intentions aside, the language is just too vague and would never hold up as written. The idea that we would carted away in handcuffs for calling someone a name is about as likely as Santorum actually being able to ban pornography.

ZMan8 · 04-03-2012, 04:46 PM

What are you in here for ...

"I called this guy on the internet an idiot [insert racial slur]"

Davey · 04-03-2012, 05:03 PM

It's about time... I think Arizona is one of the few decent states left! I hope they make this a federal law!

m4a1mustang · 04-03-2012, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frost

Remember the days when you could read a news article without such blatant bias? Me neither. Anyway, I've read the bill and it's obvious they are trying to do a good thing (stop intense cyber bullying and stalking), although I don't personally care if a few wimps off themselves every year because the cool kids send them nasty messages. But, their good intentions aside, the language is just too vague and would never hold up as written. The idea that we would carted away in handcuffs for calling someone a name is about as likely as Santorum actually being able to ban pornography.

Ban porn.

You'd figure if he wanted to win the election he'd keep that to himself...

04-03-2012, 01:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
TerribleONE A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Socal Posts: 10,203 Drives: WOT Rep Power: 5851	I cant see the link at work for some reason... but Steve is gonna be screwed! __________________ 638WHP 541WTQ @ 13.5PSI Build thread

04-03-2012, 01:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	Horray for gubment! __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

04-03-2012, 02:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
ZMan8 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 5,844 Drives: 10 370z 40th M6 Rep Power: 659	Steve is not from arizona __________________ 2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT \| Fast Intentions \| Swift Springs \| SPC \| Z1Motorsports \| JWM \| Redline Oils \| 35% Window Tint 2015 Mazda6 \| 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

04-03-2012, 02:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
ZMan8 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 5,844 Drives: 10 370z 40th M6 Rep Power: 659	I updated the first post with a quote for those that the link doesn't work for. __________________ 2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT \| Fast Intentions \| Swift Springs \| SPC \| Z1Motorsports \| JWM \| Redline Oils \| 35% Window Tint 2015 Mazda6 \| 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

04-03-2012, 02:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
TerribleONE A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Socal Posts: 10,203 Drives: WOT Rep Power: 5851	thanks man.. this just sounds like freedom of speech being taken away even more... __________________ 638WHP 541WTQ @ 13.5PSI Build thread

04-03-2012, 04:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
ZMan8 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 5,844 Drives: 10 370z 40th M6 Rep Power: 659	What are you in here for ... "I called this guy on the internet an idiot [insert racial slur]" __________________ 2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT \| Fast Intentions \| Swift Springs \| SPC \| Z1Motorsports \| JWM \| Redline Oils \| 35% Window Tint 2015 Mazda6 \| 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

04-03-2012, 05:03 PM	#14 (permalink)
Davey A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,766 Drives: '15 NISMO 6MT Rep Power: 117171	It's about time... I think Arizona is one of the few decent states left! I hope they make this a federal law!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
J's Racing president arrested	JollyGoodChap	The Lounge (Off Topic)	4	01-25-2011 11:47 PM
How these people not dead/arrested	Jeffblue	The Lounge (Off Topic)	22	09-01-2010 12:40 PM
been trolling around #280	ScGRaceR	New Nismo 370Z Owner	7	05-25-2010 06:21 AM