From CNET:

Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.

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.

In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for small favors, I guess.

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."



http://news.com.com/Create+an+e-anno...2491&subj=news

Wow.

They should be prosocuted as aiding and abetting cyber-irritation because this has caused me great annoyance. The phone-annoyance thing makes sense because that actually would waste someone's time, but this is ridiculous because someone on the internet who's where he/she can be annoyed is wasting time already.

This world is getting too safe for whiny idiots who think comfort should be a guaranteed right wherever they go. I welcome the apocalypse.

Well I guess I'll be turning myself in.. was fun while it lasted.
Hopefully I'll get one of those country-club prisons. With broadband (muahahahaaa).

The insanity continues.. anyone have any respect at all for the law anymore? If so, how? By "the law" I mean "What the government says you may do" not natural law. They've diluted their moral authority down to nothing.

Whats wrong with that? Good, some idiots sending you emails you didnt request should go to jail anyway, and what's not annoying to one person may be annoying to someone else.

Awesome! Does this mean we can start sending those who double post at LQ to the pokey?

//Not serious

Wow. These politicians sure do know how to put our tax dollars to good use... way to go!

Geez, I hope I get a nice cell.

"Whats wrong with that? Good, some idiots sending you emails you didnt request should go to jail anyway, and what's not annoying to one person may be annoying to someone else."

SPAM already has legislation against it. This one covers all online activity.

Well, I shall troll these forums whilst I'm in my hideout in Zimababwe, lets see if US law does anything about that. This is one of those things that just won't work.

Just don't annoy Dubya, he'll abuse the war powers act and invade Zimbabwe.

True, but there are lots of mountains in Zimabawe, I am sure one of them will make a suitable hideout and I can evade capture for years.

anyone caught being a newb to any game i play will be immediately reported to police for breaking this law....

*oops, i just remembered im still a newb ...*

If I was an American I'd need a Real Name profile field so as to keep all my inflamatory posts legal, as I don't live in that silly country I guess I'm outside the power of Bush. Woot.

This thread annoys me.

Kiss Slashdot goodbye!

Hey, can we claim Microsoft's update notices are annoying & anonymous..?