Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.

It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.

In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name.

[url=http://news.com.com/Create+an+e-annoyance,+go+to+jail/2010-1028_3-6022491.html?part=rss&tag=6022491&subj=news]click here to read further[/url]

What do you think about this? I can't stop laughing!

It's illegal to annoy

A new federal law states that when you annoy someone on the Internet, you must disclose your identity. Here's the relevant language.

"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."

How are they going to trace you if you post anonymously contrary to the law? It's a good thing most of us live outside the US.

It is a good thing o

How would you feel if the same law was passed in nigeria?

It would be partially okay, and partially not-okay because Nairaland would have been the only site whose administrator was thrown in Jail for annoying the members.

trust Nigerians, we'll device another means of doing it, maybe with our nicknames.

goodguy:

It would be partially okay, and partially not-okay because Nairaland would have been the only site whose administrator was thrown in Jail for annoying the members.

hehehehehe

yay!!!!!! i'm free

It'll be difficult to pass such a law in Nigeria. They'll only be able to trace to the ISP or cyber-cafe where the e-annoyance originated from. Any how many people visit cyber-cafes a day?