(05.14.09) "Cyberbulling Bill Could Ensnare Free Speech" (Fox) This article seems so appropriate right now...

[Laura Cereta]

A bill introduced in the House of Representatives last month by Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., is designed to prevent cyberbullying, making it punishable by a fine and up to two years in prison.

But at least one blogger is calling the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act the "Censorship Act of 2009" -- and many free speech advocates say its language is too broad and that it would act as judge and jury to determine whether there is significant evidence to prove that one person "cyberbullied" another.

"We have existing harassment statutes in all 50 states that already cover this problem," says Parry Aftab, a lawyer and Internet security expert who's at the forefront of the anti-cyberbullying movement. "We don't need Linda Sanchez's law."

Even Sanchez's attempt to define the term "cyberbullying" poses problems, said UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh.

"The bill defines it as 'using electronic means to support severe, repeated and hostile behavior,' but what does 'severe, hostile and repeated behavior' mean?" he asked.

"I've written articles opposing the bill that have appeared online. That's electronic and -- because I've written a few of them -- repeated. I was also severe and hostile in my criticisms. Under her law, I can now go to jail."

And so could many political commentators and Web bloggers who earn their keep by being confrontational and inflammatory. A TV host like MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, who's been openly and repeatedly hostile to former Vice President Dick Cheney on his Web site, would not be safe from prosecution, the analysts say.

Even advocates of child safety on the Internet say the bill is impractical, at best.

"Even if you wanted to, you can't legislate against meanness," said Larry Magid, co-director of SafeKids.com. "It's contextual. If I call you fat, maybe I was bullying, or maybe I was concerned about your health, or maybe it was a relatively innocuous slight."

The bill's critics also note that the law is intended to protect minors from minors, but that doesn't show up in its language.

As written now, the bill would also apply to adults, says John Morris, general counsel for the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Democracy and Technology.

And, he said: "It's not clear from any of the data that cyberbullying among adults is an issue." :thinking:

Morris said cyberbullying is a local problem best solved at the local level.

"Most research suggests cyberbullying is most appropriately handled with more education, in school. It's hard to imagine how federalizing the matter accomplishes this," he said.

The bill is named after Megan Meier, the Missouri 13-year-old who committed suicide in 2006 after a classmate's mother, Lori Drew, pretended to be a teenage boy and tormented her on the MySpace social-networking site.

Drew was convicted in November of three misdemeanors in federal court and awaits sentencing. She faces up to three years in prison.


Full article @ Fox News (http://http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/14/cyberbullying-ensnare-free-speech-rights/)

[Horizon]

It's these guys:

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr254/Bitchmom67/Funnies/3n13k63p8ZZZZZZZZZ93qc698cc8ee45511.jpg


Practicing this: (pardon the language)

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr254/Bitchmom67/Funnies/internetdickwad.jpg

[Laura Cereta]

Practicing this: (pardon the language)

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr254/Bitchmom67/Funnies/internetdickwad.jpg

:rotfl: SO TRUE in many cases... (unfortunately)

[Horizon]

And I think whoever has posted as this supposed "newbie" is a cyber bully for sure.

About Merideth11

Political Ideology
Merideth's Cult

And they are online right now. Too bad they didn't spell Meredith right.

[Meg]

Cyberbulling... I guess I'm just going to have to bow out of this one real fast!:itwasntme:

[sojourner]

This bill should not be passed. IMHO, Democracy cannot survive without the 1st amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech. You cannot compare words over the internet to bullies that beat you up and take your lunch money.

Politicians from California live in a different reality from the rest of us. Like the one that thought Feng shui should be required to get an architectural engineering degree.

And while I am at it, how did McCain-Feingold get past the Supreme Court?

[sojourner]

And I think whoever has posted as this supposed "newbie" is a cyber bully for sure.

About Merideth11

Political Ideology
Merideth's Cult

And they are online right now. Too bad they didn't spell Meredith right.

I would respond, but Meredith has me on ignore.

[Meg]

This bill should not be passed. IMHO, Democracy cannot survive without the 1st amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech. You cannot compare words over the internet to bullies that beat you up and take your lunch money.

Too lazy to read the article today! Does that also include internet stalking and stuff. Because you know there are some crazy people out there who do use the internet to harrass people.

[Horizon]

I would respond, but Meredith has me on ignore.

I took you off ignore ages ago, I thought you knew that!;)

[sojourner]

Too lazy to read the article today! Does that also include internet stalking and stuff. Because you know there are some crazy people out there who do use the internet to harrass people.

I am not sure how cyber stalking works. Can’t they be ignored or filtered out? In the spirit of “it is better to let ten guilty go free than convict one innocent man” I would like to err on the side of freedom of speech.

[sojourner]

I took you off ignore ages ago, I thought you knew that!;)

Was that before or after I asked you "What exactly has the religious right been doing in your bedroom and have you considered changing/upgrading your locks?"

[Meg]

Was that before or after I asked you "What exactly has the religious right been doing in your bedroom and have you considered changing/upgrading your locks?"

I'm guessing Mary enjoyed that comment. :laughing:

[Horizon]

Was that before or after I asked you "What exactly has the religious right been doing in your bedroom and have you considered changing/upgrading your locks?"

Nah, I laughed at that I think. Thats funny stuff. I honestly do not remember what it was. Maybe you told me to go have some chocolate! LOL!

[sojourner]

Nah, I laughed at that I think. Thats funny stuff. I honestly do not remember what it was. Maybe you told me to go have some chocolate! LOL!

I don’t remember what it was either, but I don’t present my arguments in the most diplomatic terms, so I wouldn’t be surprised if half the people here have me on ignore. I don't think chocolate was involved, although I think a remember a thread on that topic.

[Horizon]

I don’t remember what it was either, but I don’t present my arguments in the most diplomatic terms, so I wouldn’t be surprised if half the people here have me on ignore. I don't think chocolate was involved, although I think a remember a thread on that topic.

Yep, it was a classic. I made a total ass out of myself, I was so pissed off. Now I read it and laugh like a madwoman.

No worries, I tend to be pretty undiplomatic at times, but as everyone else is, I am a work in progress!

[Spang]

I imagine anyone who thinks this bill should not be passed, has probably never been cyberbullied or known anyone who has been.

[sojourner]

I imagine anyone who thinks this bill should not be passed, has probably never been cyberbullied or known anyone who has been.

I haven't so please explain it to me.

[Spang]

I haven't so please explain it to me.

I haven't either but it's been known to lead to suicide.

[Horizon]

I imagine anyone who thinks this bill should not be passed, has probably never been cyberbullied or known anyone who has been.

I haven't so please explain it to me.

It's not fun. It goes on at another board I belong to that is not political. One group of women went after this one member to the extent, they manged to get a copy of her Ok. Drivers License and pass it around in pm, claiming she had lied about her age. One of them had a family member that worked at the Dmv it seems. They then photoshopped the date of birth on it, to make it look like she had lied. They have access to the admin panel and harass people continually. The admin is the biggest POS I have ever seen and allows this to continue. It's a board with almost 10,000 registered members, but only about 40 actual posters. They run off every newbie that joins, and the rest are people that join to get the info, but are afraid to post, in fear of the harassment.

[sojourner]

It's not fun. It goes on at another board I belong to that is not political. One group of women went after this one member to the extent, they manged to get a copy of her Ok. Drivers License and pass it around in pm, claiming she had lied about her age. One of them had a family member that worked at the Dmv it seems. They then photoshopped the date of birth on it, to make it look like she had lied. They have access to the admin panel and harass people continually. The admin is the biggest POS I have ever seen and allows this to continue. It's a board with almost 10,000 registered members, but only about 40 actual posters. They run off every newbie that joins, and the rest are people that join to get the info, but are afraid to post, in fear of the harassment.

Okay, I see the problem, but don’t we already have libel and slander laws that apply to this case? It is obviously false and intentional.

My problem with the law is that it is so subjective and open to miss interpretation and application. And if it can be it will be.

[Spang]

My problem with the law is that it is so subjective and open to miss interpretation and application. And if it can be it will be.

Similar to rape but that's still illegal.

[Laura Cereta]

Morris said cyberbullying is a local problem best solved at the local level.

"Most research suggests cyberbullying is most appropriately handled with more education, in school. It's hard to imagine how federalizing the matter accomplishes this," he said.

The bill is named after Megan Meier, the Missouri 13-year-old who committed suicide in 2006 after a classmate's mother, Lori Drew, pretended to be a teenage boy and tormented her on the MySpace social-networking site.

Drew was convicted in November of three misdemeanors in federal court and awaits sentencing. She faces up to three years in prison.


I 100% disagree with this bill. It absolutely is a violation of free speech and its ambiguous language is disturbing. I'm sorry this young lady killed herself but if she was being tormented to the point of suicidal ideations by people on MySpace, she could have gotten off MySpace. Bullying has had many devastating consequences for some teenagers-- not just suicide but Columbine and other stuff like addiction, eating disorders, cutting disorders, the whole works. This is still not a reason to trample on the Constitution.

[Horizon]

I 100% disagree with this bill. It absolutely is a violation of free speech and its ambiguous language is disturbing. I'm sorry this young lady killed herself but if she was being tormented to the point of suicidal ideations by people on MySpace, she could have gotten off MySpace. Bullying has had many devastating consequences for some teenagers-- not just suicide but Columbine and other stuff like addiction, eating disorders, cutting disorders, the whole works. This is still not a reason to trample on the Constitution.

Did you get a load of the parents? IMHO, Myspace and the internet were not the problem here. It was lack of interest and supervision on the part of them.

I think there needs to be something like this, but the way this sounds, it's not what is needed.

[Laura Cereta]

Did you get a load of the parents? IMHO, Myspace and the internet were not the problem here. It was lack of interest and supervision on the part of them.

I think there needs to be something like this, but the way this sounds, it's not what is needed.

Oh yeah, I have no doubt there were other issues besides bullying and MySpace.

I agree with the article that bullying needs to be addressed as a serious problem but through means like education, not tampering with free speech.

[sojourner]

Similar to rape but that's still illegal.

I can't believe you said that. Rape is defined as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. That doesn't sound very subjective to me.

[Meg]

I can't believe you said that. Rape is defined as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. That doesn't sound very subjective to me.

Hey, hey! Let's be fair. It can be a man too!

[Spang]

I can't believe you said that. Rape is defined as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. That doesn't sound very subjective to me.

Tell that to the Duke Lacrosse Team.

[sojourner]

Hey, hey! Let's be fair. It can be a man too!

You may have me there. Are you talking about woman on man? I don't think man on man would apply. I think that is covered by sodomy law. I wonder if the penalties are similar.

[sojourner]

Tell that to the Duke Lacrosse Team.

Now you are talking about false accusation, which doesn’t have anything to do with the definition of a crime and is a totally different subject.

[Horizon]

Hey, hey! Let's be fair. It can be a man too!

Or an animal. We had a case over in Klamath a few months back. A man, his wife, and a German Shepard. The poor dog had to be euthanized cause it did not relate to humans in a non sexual way.

[Meg]

You may have me there. Are you talking about woman on man? I don't think man on man would apply. I think that is covered by sodomy law. I wonder if the penalties are similar.

Yeah that's what I meant. Woman on man.

Well according to the definition it covers anal, oral and bestality. So yeah I guess male on male offenses are under a different category. But you'd have to read up on sodomy... it's a little complicated in the law area! :eek:

[Spang]

Now you are talking about false accusation, which doesn’t have anything to do with the definition of a crime and is a totally different subject.

Isn't that what you're worried about with this cyberbully law?

[Laura Cereta]

You may have me there. Are you talking about woman on man? I don't think man on man would apply. I think that is covered by sodomy law. I wonder if the penalties are similar.

No, believe it or not, several states have rape laws protecting men that include vaginal intercourse. As far as I know, there has never been a conviction under one yet, though.

The thinking behind this is that the same way a woman can be aroused by non-consensual sex purely as a physical reaction, so can a man. Therefore, technically a man could say no to sex, yet be overpowered and still become aroused and then by law he was raped. I'm sure it doesn't happen often, but there are reported cases of this kind of sexual abuse.

[Jester]

Meredith1, you should take your own advice about what is crossing the line.

http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=46043

You, Meredith1, are one seriously sick person and should really re-evaluate your life as you are out of touch with what is a dopey internet dispute (of which you have been involved in nonstop here and elsewhere) and what is a personal threat. The fact that you cannot tell the difference should really be a wake up call for you.

It's not fun. It goes on at another board I belong to that is not political. One group of women went after this one member to the extent, they manged to get a copy of her Ok. Drivers License and pass it around in pm, claiming she had lied about her age. One of them had a family member that worked at the Dmv it seems. They then photoshopped the date of birth on it, to make it look like she had lied. They have access to the admin panel and harass people continually. The admin is the biggest POS I have ever seen and allows this to continue. It's a board with almost 10,000 registered members, but only about 40 actual posters. They run off every newbie that joins, and the rest are people that join to get the info, but are afraid to post, in fear of the harassment.

[TheTaoOfBill]

Meredith1, you should take your own advice about what is crossing the line.

http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=46043

You, Meredith1, are one seriously sick person and should really re-evaluate your life as you are out of touch with what is a dopey internet dispute (of which you have been involved in nonstop here and elsewhere) and what is a personal threat. The fact that you cannot tell the difference should really be a wake up call for you.

Why do you enjoy poking the hornets nest so much? Mary...please don't respond...just ignore it...you know it will just be 10 more pages of annoyingness if you do..