Arizona's proposed Anti-Trolling law.

[MixedVariety]

This is just too generalized and non-specific to be anything but trouble.

For those who have perused the internet for any considerable amount of time will tell you, it really does bring out the worst in people. The ‘invisible man‘ syndrome is on full display when you visit most sites that offer the ability to comment, or join a forum. Why bother adhering to the decency of society when no one can see you? I doubt H.G. Wells ever considered the theme of his sci-fi novella coming to real life. Especially in the scope that the internet provides.

Arizona is combating internet trolling, albeit in an inadvertent and dangerous fashion, with Arizona House Bill 2549. For anyone who understands how freedom of speech works in conjunction with the internet; this bill absolutely reeks. Here’s the clause everyone is up in arms over…

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

When you read it in this simple form, you begin scratching your head and wonder how the Arizona congress could be so clueless. It’s the wording of “any electronic or digital device” which is worrisome. If you begin to dig deeper it’s pretty obvious where things went awry.




For those who are well versed on first amendment rights, internet policy, and communication methods utilized online, this bill represents the worst kind of slippery slope. If someone wanted to be creative they could use this bill as ammunition for anything they didn’t like being said.

This is only one signature away from being passed, at least in Arizona. Hey...if I move there, maybe I can finally have raspberry jam arrested for her constant online bullying of Americans.

[Art]

Annoy? Offend??

By design this law refutes itself if kept in an electronic format anywhere.

-Art

[djacob]

This is just too generalized and non-specific to be anything but trouble.

This is only one signature away from being passed, at least in Arizona. Hey...if I move there, maybe I can finally have raspberry jam arrested for her constant online bullying of Americans.

Ouch, sad thing is that with bills like this, I can't completely blame jam.

Annoy? Offend??

By design this law refutes itself if kept in an electronic format anywhere.

-Art

Indeed, I think those lawmakers need to spend some time in jail, idk maybe just a few days. Would have more of a chance of doing good than trying to lock up all the trolls on the internet.

[Art]

Red flag to a bull if you ask me.

4Chan or the like would purposefully raid innocent enough Arizona forums just for the purpose of getting them flared up and them breaking the law whilst channers chuckle away from across a state (or country) border.

-Art

[RD]

It's Arizona. Call me when this is in a state that hasn't already demonstrated their complete disregard for human rights.

[Zayren]

Banning trolling is a great idea.

It'll never happen, but it's a great idea.

[Zalis]

They should ban assault and murder while they're at it.

Why has no one thought of this before? It's brilliant.

[Смерть]

Straight up ludicrous.

Those who make up such laws need a moderate dosage of wake-up IMHO; hell, smack them with some hard left and maybe they'll balance out. Going to bring up the stalled SOPA and the passed NDAA bill...

Seriously, what is wrong with people. Yes, of course there are problems that could be resolved-and there are already ways to resolved them. All these ******* laws are nothing more than pathetic fronts to pass something with enough "general" openness for the government to monitor electronic privacy*. It's not about copyrights, its not about trolling, its about general control/power.

As I see it.
/end rant

*NDAA something different

[Lensor]

So... if this bill annoys and offend me and I find the language obscene, does it mean I can get the authors arrested? I mean, they are evidently in Arizona, and presumably they will use an "electronic device" to publish it to the people.

[raspberry jam]

This is only one signature away from being passed, at least in Arizona. Hey...if I move there, maybe I can finally have raspberry jam arrested for her constant online bullying of Americans.

But I'm performing a community service.

Anyway, the wording is weird. "It is unlawful for any person, with intent to (etc etc), to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act"... Does this mean that people can no longer wear watches when hitting on people? Or does intent to terrify (etc) need to be somehow proven?