A NJ ban on anonymous Internet postings?
I saw this on Slashdot yesterday, but was too busy to comment until now. Oddly, I haven't seen many others commenting on it either. One wonders where all the civil libertarians and privacy advocates are. I guess because this legislation didn't originate from the Bush Administration or the Republican Congress, there's no cause for concern.
The bill would require operators of Internet discussion forums to collect legal names and addresses from anyone who posts there. This would effectively ban the practice of posting anonymous comments on said discussion boards.
I'm tempted to ignore this issue myself, based on the hope that such a ridiculous bill would be DOA, even in the New Jersey legislature. Since it potentially affects me directly, however, I feel that I really can't afford to.
Comments
This is New Jersey, Barry! C'mon, anything can happen here--as long as it distracts those idiots in Trenton from addressing such minor matters as pay-to-play, property taxes, patronage, corruption, overdevelopment, ballooning state debt, double-dipping legislators, shitty roads, and on and on.
Posted by: fred | March 7, 2006 09:26 AM
Bluejersey.net has a piece on it too. Looks like LoBiondi got offended by some anonymous comments on a site and proposed a bill so his feelings wouldn't be hurt again. It is beyond impractical and also not constitutional. It makes great fodder for mockery, though. You'll see a little more on it in the papers shortly, I believe. I responded to your question to me about it. I saw this first on Friday but was hit with whatever that stomache virus is that is hammering so many people lately and didn't have the strength or inclination to blog on anything. I still intend to call my Assemblymember if I ever get the time and get his take on it for a blog piece. My Assemblymember is on the high-tech committee (the same committee that put out that stupid censure of Craig Cartoon the DJ last year because of his idiotic remarks about post-partum depression). He should have something interesting to say about this silly waste of taxpayer money and the people's time.
Posted by: DBK | March 7, 2006 01:13 PM
ahaha, oh lord, Barry, forgive me, but I almost hope that the bill passes. Just to watch them attempt to enforce it.
Posted by: Adam | March 7, 2006 09:30 PM
I said that anything can happen in New Jersey:
the Governor the other ngith bailed out a former mid-level campaign aide ($5k) after she was arrested for stalking and harrassing (and busting the car windows of) the state Dem chairman.
What a state.....
Posted by: fred | March 8, 2006 03:29 PM