Since the occasional troll pops up on the forum from time to time, I thought I would share this here. Unfortunately the law only applies to the state of Arizona.
Don’t be an internet troll. You could be sent to jail!
by Graham Cluley on April 4, 2012
Most people who have used the internet for any length of time is able to recognise an internet troll.
They’re the people who delight in posting something inflammatory or outrageous with the intention of provoking a reaction. They often don’t care if what they post is offensive or simply stupid, all they desire is to disrupt genuine conversations or upset innocent people.
It’s pretty immature behaviour – but sadly, it’s all too common.
An update to the US State of Arizona’s telecommunications harrasment bill, however, could send a strong message to internet trolls that their behaviour is not going to be tolerated.
“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.”
By replacing references to the telephone to “any electronic or digital device”, the bill is now covering any communication over the internet.
And as trolls *do* usually intend to annoy, harass or offend – it seems pretty clear-cut that they would be in hot water.
With hand on heart, can you honestly say that you have *never* annoyed or offended someone via the internet? If you can, you’re a better person than me.
Naked Security seems to offend some people every single day – you should see the emails we get when we write about Mac malware for instance!
That’s pretty worrying, even though none of us live in Arizona – as the offence is deemed to have taken place either at “the place where the communications originated or at the place where the communications were received.”
If someone is found guilty under Arizona House Bill 2549, they could face a $2500 fine and up to six months in jail.
From Naked Security
By: Grey Area - 9th April 2012 at 20:02
Well! I know his moderation was pretty strict, but I didn’t think he’d gone that far. 😮
‘Tis a vile slander, I tells you.
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th April 2012 at 20:17
I don’t find trolls a particular problem on this forum. It is very well moderated and I find I can just get on with doing what I came here for – discussing aviation – without problems.
There is one classic car website I go on, though, which has become virtually unusable because of people posting abusive comments for the sake of causing offence. It is a real shame when it happens.
🙂
By: Moggy C - 6th April 2012 at 11:28
GreyArea. I know from experience, you put somewon away in prison
Well! I know his moderation was pretty strict, but I didn’t think he’d gone that far. 😮
Moggy
By: Deskpilot - 6th April 2012 at 00:58
I think the Mods and the majority on the forum can spot a troll a mile away, but I honestly believe in the freedom of communication on this way, ie the tinternet.
GreyArea. I know from experience, you put somewon away in prison, say an 18yrs old, for habitual shoplifting, and when he comes out, he will be a fully paid up member of the House burglary club, car stealers,and all the other custodial offences, that he didn’t know about prior to his holiday inside.
I would prefer the good old “Cat O Nine Tails” to come back, but the Do Gooders wouldn’t have that, would they?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
Well said Linoln. Sometimes, one has to be cruel to be kind. ‘Tis the only way they learn.
By: inkworm - 5th April 2012 at 15:39
Would be interesting to see how this is policed and enforced, we’ve all seen posts which are not meant as trolling but due to the lack of tone/inflection being placed on typed text are taken the wrong way and cause a reaction which could be classed as trolling but isn’t meant that way.
I guess it has to be pretty serious to warrant a conviction though.
All they really want is attention and a response though, ignore them and they go away to bother others.
By: hampden98 - 5th April 2012 at 13:16
By: Lincoln 7 - 5th April 2012 at 10:36
I think the Mods and the majority on the forum can spot a troll a mile away, but I honestly believe in the freedom of communication on this way, ie the tinternet.
GreyArea. I know from experience, you put somewon away in prison, say an 18yrs old, for habitual shoplifting, and when he comes out, he will be a fully paid up member of the House burglary club, car stealers,and all the other custodial offences, that he didn’t know about prior to his holiday inside.
I would prefer the good old “Cat O Nine Tails” to come back, but the Do Gooders wouldn’t have that, would they?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: MSR777 - 5th April 2012 at 08:48
Re 4
PPPSpot on ! More emphasis on good manners rather than prescriptive rights and wrongs. Censorship is much favoured by totalitarian regimes.
John Green
And not only by totalitarian ones.
By: John Green - 4th April 2012 at 20:26
Re 4
PPP
Spot on ! More emphasis on good manners rather than prescriptive rights and wrongs. Censorship is much favoured by totalitarian regimes.
John Green
By: Grey Area - 4th April 2012 at 20:09
Lock ’em up, and throw away the key.
It’s the only language they understand.
By: ppp - 4th April 2012 at 19:23
I’d prefer to let people have freedom of expression than have the government decide for me whose views I should hear, and whose I should not. The right to expression is more important than the right to not be offended, the latter tends to halt social evolution.
By: Grey Area - 4th April 2012 at 19:11
Prison’s too good for ’em……
By: Newforest - 4th April 2012 at 15:43
Ooh, very interesting, I was in AZ this year and I have been trolled in this Forum recently, received an admonishment to which two mods. have not had the courtesy to reply, will I be covered by this law? 😀
Sign In
April 4, 2012 at 2:31 pm