Anonymous Posting Illegal?

[bishopnl]

Kentucky Lawmaker Wants to Make Anonymous Internet Posting Illegal
Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008 - 11:11 PM Updated: 12:40 PM

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal.

The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site.

Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

If the bill becomes law, the website operator would have to pay if someone was allowed to post anonymously on their site. The fine would be five-hundred dollars for a first offense and one-thousand dollars for each offense after that.

Representative Couch says he filed the bill in hopes of cutting down on online bullying. He says that has especially been a problem in his Eastern Kentucky district.

Action News 36 asked people what they thought about the bill.

Some said they felt it was a violation of First Amendment rights. Others say it is a good tool toward eliminating online harassment.

Represntative Couch says enforcing this bill if it became law would be a challenge.

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LOL...Tim Couch is going to shut down internet trolls.

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

Even if such a law was passed, the law, which only penalizes website operators, would only be enforceable against website operators operating within the state of Kentucky.  They would have a difficult time enforcing a Kentucky state law against a web site that is operated in another state or country.

[bishopnl]

I don't know all the logistics of it...if the operator wasn't actually in the state of Kentucky, but was still providing a service to Kentucky internet users, would he be subject to the regulations of the state of Kentucky?

At any rate, Couch acknowledged that it would be hard to enforce, so my question is, why propose it at all?

Also, I didn't google any info on Tim Couch, but I was wondering if it was the same Tim Couch who played football for UK and who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

[Tricia Lea]

Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

I think that right there would push many away from internet posting as that would not be what many would want. Many do not feel safe giving out their name as some would feel that would make it easier to locate them if someone wanted to be a stalker. I mean some have common names and it would be harder to find but if you had an odd name someone could hit somthing like zaba search and be able to  find info
I honestly dont see that passing

just me 2 cents

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

 

. . . someone could hit somthing like zaba search and be able to  find info . . .

Zaba doesn't have my info listed.  I wonder if living overseas for 16 years has anything to do with that.

[Tricia Lea]

could be lol


I have found a few friends from school through there but the records there do tend to be older but if a person doesn't move too much it can be useful

[BenJammin]

Different Tim Couch.  This one was born in 1961 vs 1977.

Here is the bio listed on the Kentucky Legislature site.

Bio
Born August 19, 1961. Self-employed, Hyden Grocery, Couch's Shell. Church of God. Cumberland College, Hazard Community College. Leslie Co Industrial Devel. Hyden Chamber of Commerce. KY Retail Federation. NRA. Natl Wild Turkey Federation. Natl Federation of Independent Business Owners. Leslie Co Republican Party, Chairman 2000-02. Leslie Co Bd of Elections 2000-02. Hyden Masonic Lodge 664. KY Grocers Assoc. Hyden Athletic Boosters 1998. Leslie Co Middle School Boosters 1999. Relay for Life, Corporate Sponsor 2000-02. Repair Affair, Sponsor 2000-02.

[Melody]

can't the administrators track the IP of even 'guest' posters if the government needed info?  And even if info is registered, it can be hidden and falsified and a nick used, so still lending the laymembers naive of the identity, right?

[Tsalagi]

The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site.

Hyden Masonic Lodge 664.

[Melody]

. . . someone could hit somthing like zaba search and be able to  find info . . .

never knew about this before, I'm on there like half a dozen times.... 

[Tricia Lea]

I read where someone tried to sue them to get info off, but all they use are public records so there was nothing that could be done

http://www.zabasearch.com/  if anyone wants to see if they are on there

[bishopnl]

Benjamin,

Thanks for looking that up.  Coincidental that two Tim Couch's come from Eastern Kentucky...I wonder if the politician is any relation to the football player.  Hm.

[World Traveler]

What if you are posting under more than one personality?

Hey, maybe we could start something similar on here. Everytime someone visits a posting area, but does not post, their name could be added to a list on the posting area.
Take for example the posting area entitled "cooking class" It has 231 posts and 1431 visits. Who are these mysterious visitors? Do they mean us harm? Are they spys for a rival website? Iquiring minds want to know!!!

[Nelle]

Just FYI... I'm not on there.

[jdcord]

Maybe if we can somehow get Tim another try at playing quarterback in the NFL he'll leave us alone?

[Sis]

My name was on there over 70 times and not one of them was me. There WAS one that said one of the places they lived was Buffalo NY. I was wondering if MY address got added to that person's. Their first place lived was listed as FL. So it's not me, but did they mix up my address with another person by the same name?

I agree. If a site admin wants to report someone, it can be done. They can get to the provider, and possibly get the name and address, depending on how much info they get from the provider, I guess.

I don't want my real name on every one of my posts. That's awful. It won't cut down on bullying, it will give people more information, so they can do MORE bullying, via snail mail, or even going to their home. 

[MelodyB]

Haha...I never knew about zabasearch. I am on there 4 times...but none are my current address. LOL But they are me, my old addys and phone numbers. WOW.

[Sis]

I couldn't see the actual addresses or phone numbers. They wanted me to pay Ten bucks. How did you see them?

ADDED:  Ok, I found out

I checked my maiden name, not one of them was me, checked my other married name, none were me, and checked my present name. Zilch, again.

  I don't exist!

[BroTrey]

Kentucky Lawmaker Wants to Make Anonymous Internet Posting Illegal
Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008 - 11:11 PM Updated: 12:40 PM

Kentucky Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal.

The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site.

Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

If the bill becomes law, the website operator would have to pay if someone was allowed to post anonymously on their site. The fine would be five-hundred dollars for a first offense and one-thousand dollars for each offense after that.

Representative Couch says he filed the bill in hopes of cutting down on online bullying. He says that has especially been a problem in his Eastern Kentucky district.

Action News 36 asked people what they thought about the bill.

Some said they felt it was a violation of First Amendment rights. Others say it is a good tool toward eliminating online harassment.

Represntative Couch says enforcing this bill if it became law would be a challenge.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOL...Tim Couch is going to shut down internet trolls.

Don't blame me.... I didnt vote for him!  this type of law would be horrid.... loosing rights to gain some freedom from trolls.....bad trade off to me...

[jdcord]

I'm on there 3 times, and my birth year is wrong on all three of them.




But still, that site looks like a decent resource tool.  I chipmarked it for future use.

[Tricia Lea]

I am ZabaSearch 2 times and one is my last address and the other is my current address

[MelodyB]

And I know your real name too... LOL

* MelodyB looks up TL

[SippinTea]

I read where someone tried to sue them to get info off, but all they use are public records so there was nothing that could be done

http://www.zabasearch.com/  if anyone wants to see if they are on there

*chortles delightedly* I'm not alive.

[MelodyB]

I know. I checked.