Semi-OT: Lawmaker wants anonymous posting to be illegal

[Boaz Bezborodko]

>
> Ken Brody wrote (on Mon, Mar 10, 2008 at 04:34:43PM -0400):
>
> | Several links here:
> | 
> |      http://news.google.com/news?q=tim+couch+anonymous
> | 
> | Representative article:
> |       
> | http://www.wtvq.com/content/midatlantic/tvq/video.apx.-content-articles-TVQ-2008-03-05-0011.html
> | 
> | Basically, Kentucky state legislator Tim Couch (supposedly in an effort to
> | fight online bullying) wants to make it illegal to anonymously post messages
> | on the Internet.  And, if a website owner doesn't verify your real name,
> | e-mail address, and physical address, and allows you to post, he faces a
> | fine of $500 for a first "offense" and $1000 for each additional "offense".
> | (Also, all posts must have your full real name listed along with the post.)
>
> He's probably a left-wing Socialist, Communist-Leaning, Democrat
> trying to give Kentucky a bad name.  I've never heard of him before.
>
> However, he is trying to prevent a recent problem - recently a woman
> logged onto an InterNet site and posed as a friend/neighbor of a girl
> and posted "bad things" about her (the poster was the mother of a girl
> who was a friend of the victim).
>
> The victim girl comitted sucide as a result.
>
> Bad problem, bad solution to it.  What's your solution ? ? ?
>   
Teach your children about how things work on the internet.  Also, 
monitor their activities online and be diplomatic about teaching them 
what it is they may be dealing with online.

I once heard someone said that they had no problem with their kids going 
onto the internet without any blocks...So long as it was with a 5' 
screen in the living room.

Boaz