Politician Proposes Another "Brilliant" Law
By Trent

Tue Mar 11, 2008 - From WTVQ Action News:

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal.

The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site.

Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

If the bill becomes law, the website operator would have to pay if someone was allowed to post anonymously on their site. The fine would be five-hundred dollars for a first offense and one-thousand dollars for each offense after that.

Representative Couch says he filed the bill in hopes of cutting down on online bullying. He says that has especially been a problem in his Eastern Kentucky district.

Action News 36 asked people what they thought about the bill.

Some said they felt it was a violation of First Amendment rights. Others say it is a good tool toward eliminating online harassment.

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



What is it with these politicians? (Notice I said politicians and not Democrats. Tim Couch is supposedly a Republican.) Do they not think about the consequences? So if kids go to a children's site and post something their full name will be posted. Great!!! The pedophiles will love that. How about the countless forums where victims of various crimes meet up to discuss their problems? Do you think women who have been raped and are looking for a little solace and guidance online will be so willing to post? This is a dream law for criminals who like to prey on people.

It gets better. The best part about it is that it is up to website owners to enforce this law under threats of big fines. $500.00 for the first time a post goes through anonymously and $1000.00 for every post after that.

Ah yes, the politicians in this country just keep getting smarter and smarter. What would we ever do without these rocket scientists?




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Comments : 1 Comment

Roglesby commented, on March 11, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.:

Its typical. Someone complains that a posting contains incorrect information and "they are getting away with it!". Then to try to play to whoever complained they suggest a law to stop it without a thought about the ramifications, legality, or cost. Good intentions (maybe)without thought to the ramifications. These people love making laws about things that they have no experience or expertise in. Not to mention the question of if it is even constitutional, they will let the courts sort that out after people have been effected by the law. You might make a law that anyone standing on a street corner handing out flyers advocating their point of view on any given topic (again this is free speech) be required to post their name and address on the flyer...