"Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."

Apparently, you can "annoy" someone as long as you use your real name, but once you decide to do it under an alias, you're busted. o_O

w.t.f.y.o.

THOUGHTS PEOPLE. Is this stupid or what?

Does that mean we can get Petewaaaar in jail?xD JKKKKKK!!! Oh man, someone had to say it, right?:P Sadly it only applies in good ol' America. Don't you just hate how when non-Americans mock America and turn out to be right?:P

This is ridiculous! And hilarious. More reasons why red states freak me out more than any other states. No offense but yeah, even though I'm not that knowledgeable about American politics, I still know who to dislike at least. =p

NOOO!!!! MY DAYS OF BOTHERING PEOPLE UNDER THE NAME OF VANDER MCSNOOT ARE OVER!!!!!!

its going to be like illegal music downloads... they may make a few examples out of some people... but never really inforce it... you just cant inforce something like that...

Ah it's a good thing i'm here in Aus...though i'm sure i can find something just as stupid in the Australian laws...like how we're not allowed to fly kites o.O

That's... >.> Stupid. Really Stupid.

So, they're going to arrest every single person to have ever used the Internet?

You can't fly kites? o.O Wtf?

Actually, I read that their's an old law in Philly that you can't sing in the shower. >.> Stupid laws like this.

But yeah, this one is bs. No way it can be inforced, and wouldn't all of us be fined for it?

Thats a joke Jill...unless of course it isnt...which would be lame cause I saw someone walking to the park with a kite yesturday...XD

Im not sure I totally understand this...to me it says, anybody who prank calls, sends stupid emails, or anything else with the intent to have a bit of a laugh will be arrested, as long as you're using a fake name??

If Im right and that is what's going on, then I reckon its time someone pranked the white house or something just to show how stupid this law is...

Actually Peter it's a verified law. But it's really old and there'd be protests in the streets if it was actually re-enforced. The reason for the law was not only to protect people from being electrocuted (people apparently liked Benny franklin back when they made the law) but also because in the late 1940s the kites actually interfered with airspace and distracted low flying pilots. Stupid pilots.

Well I'll be damned...ya learn something pointless every day...

I take it alot of counter-strike players will be in jail for a while then.

I saw a little bit of Attack of the Show earlier, and on The Feed segment, they showed a list of fast scrolling websites that are going to be monitored along with this law.

It included myspace. I'm gonna try and find a full list, 'cause now I'm curious.

So, does this apply to anyone who's just BEING annoying anonymously, or do they have to be INTENTIONALLY annoying?

And why is this in "The Debate Corner", seeing as how everyone pretty much agrees on this subject? Maybe we need to have a "Gripes and Rants Corner"?

Well, 'cause it could be debatable. Someone might actually say "Hey, this'll keep my stalkers away" etc.

In that case, I'll agree that this could be a good law...but the fact that the word "annoy" is included is rather..well..stupid. There could be many ways in which you could annoy somebody, so I think the law should've been worded a little better.

I'm glad our country has the time to put a stop to flaming by investing alot of time and money into the internet while in a time of war. It makes their deaths that much more justified. Keep up the good work... morons. :rolleyes:

Hey, we're discussing the law, not the war. You want to start something about the war, you can make your own topic. It's thems kind of fightin' words that probably inspired this law in the first place. So please, keep your insults in the proper topics.

Ooh, look. A prime example of why this law sucks.

like, omg. I can have you thrown in jail, because we don't know your true identity, and you're being bad o_O

But seriously, he has a point, and he's not being offtopic, so you're just gonna have to put up with it. I see it as making a comparison as to how stupid and pointless this law is, as compared to what could be done with the war. Ne, Triton?

and btw btw, I can't find that list of monitored sites anywhere x_x Anybody else know about it?

First of all, you DO know my true identity (JJ48: The Western Ronin), and I'm not intentionally aggravating people (I'M the one being aggravated), so no, you can't have me thrown in jail, nyah, nyah.

And as for the comparison, there IS NO WAR ANYMORE! The new government has been set up, and all that remains to be done is to get our boys home as soon as the Iraqi's are trained to be able to defend themselves. That being the case, doesn't it make sense that the administration would turn towards getting back to business as usual (i.e. making stupid laws), rather than just sit around doing nothing for three more years?

Wait, you said they were keeping an eye on myspace.com? You know, Tom can be annoying at times...

Correct Katie. But as far as the war I don't really see us pulling out, Bush is war hungry and probably will move around to either Korea or continue pursuing "liberating and making a democratic country" for much of the middle east that's been "hiding" Bin Laden, but enough of that.

As for the law, I doubt many will give their true identity considering this is to stop what? Internet stalking? Great, give me your information and i'll just stalk you for real and kill you, it's a great law! I'm sure Jay and Silent Bob would have a hay-day with this law.