This case isn't about internet anonymity, except very peripherially. It's really about harrasment. Yes, the anonymity enabled the harrassment--but, read (some) of the facts of this case, it is an exceptional case, that shouldn't be understood as creating any wide ranging precedents.
I believe it was criminal, the extent to which the harrassment was taken.
Much less is now criminal under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism bill.
Where are all the libertarians complaining about that, please tell me???
James Williams
· 1 year ago
Ultimately, I disagree with the premise that anonymity protects our freedom. Generally being anonymous only allows a person to evade the consequences of their actions. Most people can do anything in "real" life that they would choose to do online but they don't because they don't because there would be repercussions they wouldn't want to face. Furthermore, part of the general problem with this issue is that the culture doesn't see lying as a big deal, but it was a big enough deal to God to include it in the ten commandments.
James Williams
· 1 year ago
Actually on second thought, I take that back. Anonymity does have it's uses if people are convinced that they are doing what's right and the powers that be are disallowing them from doing so. For example, sneaking Bibles into a foreign country or a witness protection program. However, I would be inclined to contend that most uses of anonymity probably don't fall under that category. Most of the time people are just viewing information that others might find aberrant, offensive, or illegal. Occasionally things take a turn for the worst such as has happened in this case.
James Williams
· 1 year ago
Also, I do recognize that there are certain privacy issues such as those researching their own abuse experiences or researching investment strategies.
One of the biggest false assumptions we have today is that we are so free today, compared to our ancestors. While I'm not an advocate of returning to the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament, it's interesting to note how simple and straight forward the law books of the Torah are compared to the USC or most state legal codes. Most people could live their lives without ever risking running afoul of the Mosaic Law, but as you point out, in modern "free" America, the average American is an unconvicted felon. More to the point, almost everyone today is one interested prosecutor away from losing their general liberty and permanently sacrificing their right to vote and bear arms. It is nothing short of a law-and-order nightmare.
I would like to think that any competent federal judge wouldn't give the time of day to this argument. It certainly expands the scope of the law well beyond Congress' obvious intention of accessing a computer without any pretense of authorization or knowledge on the part of the hacker. Congress needs to revisit many of these laws and make them more nuanced.
Vettig Svensson
· 1 year ago
That is just scary. Though its always the same, someone kills themself and everyone needs someone to blame. What about the parents? The kid must have had other problems and this was just the thing to push her over the edge.
All Comments
I believe it was criminal, the extent to which the harrassment was taken.
Much less is now criminal under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism bill.
Where are all the libertarians complaining about that, please tell me???
I would like to think that any competent federal judge wouldn't give the time of day to this argument. It certainly expands the scope of the law well beyond Congress' obvious intention of accessing a computer without any pretense of authorization or knowledge on the part of the hacker. Congress needs to revisit many of these laws and make them more nuanced.