We're all criminals!

[KaeZoo]

...or we would be, if this Kentucky lawmaker had his way.

From the "Surely Nobody's That Stupid" department:

Clicky Clicky

The spit-take line: online bullying has "especially been a problem in his district".

[marasbaras]

OK, stupid solution to a real problem. How about just requiring boards, ISPs, etc. to maintain proper logs so that bullies can be tracked if required?

Oops, that'd be too easy.

[powerboy]

IF I wanted my real name to be shown online, I would have that as my username. I do agree with them. Online bullying is a problem, but to do this. Someone could just put down a fake name.

[edible_hat]

I'm not sure how it ended, but some years ago there was a proposal to ban South Australians from accessing "adult content" online. The definition of adult content was basically "anything not for children". If the laws were passed, I could be violating them right now just by saying I like beer.

[Dreamstalker]

Anonymity online exists for some good reasons. For example, I'm still fairly active on Usenet and have a couple "throwaway" accounts for use in helping to track down trolls/spammers/HipClone-of-the-month; I always, always use a pseudonym on all groups I frequent. The random nut population doesn't need to know my real name and location.

I also don't really trust that info to remain uncompromised if collected by websites.

[dispatch]

I'd like to see them enforce this, or even try. are they going to check every forum on the interweb? what about users from other countries? or maybe it would only apply to boards being viewed in that state

Seriously, it scares me seeing some of the litigation proposed and passed by people who obviously don't have a clue how the interweb works

[Rapscallion]

It would depend on where the server was located. This one's in the UK, so we'd be safe from that, though we are subject to more stringent hate crime laws (no culture of first amendment).

Rapscallion

[tropicsgoddess]

OK, stupid solution to a real problem. How about just requiring boards, ISPs, etc. to maintain proper logs so that bullies can be tracked if required?

Oops, that'd be too easy.

That's better than being required to put your entire name out there. I feel that they don't need to know who or where I am just because I want to post something on a forum. That sort of law is a little Orwellian if you ask me.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Represntative Couch says enforcing this bill if it became law would be a challenge.

Talk about having a firm grasp on the obvious. How does he know there isn't really somebody out there named Irving Patrick Freleigh? Huh? Huh? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

[KaeZoo]

Seriously, it scares me seeing some of the litigation proposed and passed by people who obviously don't have a clue how the interweb works

It reveals a mindset that I think is all too common among legislators: if you don't understand it, control it, or trust it, then the only thing to do is regulate it.

[edible_hat]

Talk about having a firm grasp on the obvious. How does he know there isn't really somebody out there named Irving Patrick Freleigh? Huh? Huh? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

He once wrote a letter to my local paper protesting the closure of a well known public toilet block.

(what was more interesting was that the letter by I.P. Daley on the same topic was actually genuine)

[Shangri-laschild]

Well that will be wonderful for online stalkers...that's going to do more harm then good.

Not that it will go through most likely but still...

[protege]

It reveals a mindset that I think is all too common among legislators: if you don't understand it, control it, or trust it, then the only thing to do is regulate it.

Either that, or tax the hell out of it

I'm not too worried about what goes on in Kentucky. Hell, some of those folks are lucky to have electricity and running water But seriously, they're going to have a serious problem trying to go through with this. There's no way anyone can keep track of every message board on the planet. Are they really going to check each and every name to see if it's legit or not?

[Boozy]

Talk about having a firm grasp on the obvious. How does he know there isn't really somebody out there named Irving Patrick Freleigh? Huh? Huh? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

True. You get that registered everywhere you can right now. Then the race will be on for "Hugh Jass".

[Rahmota]

I'm not too worried about what goes on in Kentucky. Hell, some of those folks are lucky to have electricity and running water

Not to mention that there is a definate sense of the people doign what they dang well please laws be danged.

Also i was lookign into buying property and moving to kentucky. Did you know that on surveyor's property platts saying that the property runs from the pin in the middle of the road 500 yards to the big maple on the ridge is an actual legal measurement of the property? As well as the phrase more or less being on the actual deed where it says how much land there is like in the property is 20 acres more or less. So whiel the Kentucky government may be getting as uptight as everyone elses in many ways there is still a major laid back attitude in a lot of others.