Proposed CT law that could suppress Internet usage

[Larkspur]

The bill number is HB 6981: it was formerly known as "An Act Concerning Enforcement Of Electronic Mail Phishing And Identity Theft Laws". It's a law that could impact blogs, video sites like YouTube, and retail sites like Amazon along with sites like MySpace and Facebook, even if those maintaining these sites have no physical presence in the state of Connecticut.

CT Attorney General Blumenthal and the bill's sponsors see this as a national model. Forty four other AGs have joined Blumenthal to support his proposed model for regulating social networking sites, and it's likely that similar legislation will be introduced in other states this year.

My Left Nutmeg has a discussion about this law at diary An Act Concerning Social Networking Sites

I also posted this in the Connecticut forum http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=143x4574.

[HappyWeasel]

1. The internet may be our only crutch against empire and our only hope for a future,

If this law does get passed, we must make sure this law gets immediately challenged for violating the the first and fourteenth amendment. If we do not, or the court shirks its responsbilities, the constitution will no longer mean squat and our news will be replaced with McCain's propaganda on pain of persecution through torture and imprisonment.

[papau]

2. sounds like DU is a "social networking website" per this bill

1) "Protected computer" means any computer that, at the time of an alleged violation of any provision of this article involving that computer, was located within the State of Connecticut;

2) "Social networking website" means a website on the Internet that contains profile web pages of the members of the website containing the name or nickname of the member, photographs placed on the profile web page by the member, and other personal information about the member; contains links to other profile web pages on the social networking website of friends or associates of the member that can be accessed by other members or visitors to the website; and provides members of or visitors to the social networking website the ability to leave messages or comments on the profile web page that are visible to all or some visitors to the profile web page and may also include a form of electronic mail for members of the social networking website.

(b) No owner or operator of a social networking website shall allow a minor using a protected computer to create or maintain a profile web page on a social networking website without first obtaining the permission of the minor's parent or guardian and without providing such parent or guardian access to such profile web page at all times.

(c) Any owner or operator of a social networking website shall adopt and implement procedures to use independently obtainable information to confirm the accuracy of personal identification information collected from members, parents and guardians at the time of registration.

(d) A violation of any provision of this section shall constitute an unfair trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b. For purposes of this section, each day that an owner or operator of a social networking website fails to adopt and implement the procedures required under subsection (c) of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct violation.

[AX10]

3. Where the HELL are the parents?

:wtf: This is a nanny-state law. It's utter B.S! This bill could ruin the internet. The internet has become our talk radio. They want to take that away from us.

[MADem]

4. Awww, the poor parents are so dumb, ya see, they don't get this computing stuff....

Well, ten years ago, maybe.

I know eighty year olds who are a dab hand at a keyboard.

But that's the logic. The 'left behind' oddballs who don't 'compute,' and who also don't watch their kids, will just love the state to take this shit over. Wag that finger!!! Punish that agency running that social networking site.

Unless, of course, the law was written to subject the PARENTS to neglect charges. Then, they'd be up in arms...

[brazos121200]

5. Of course they want to take the internet away

from us, it is our only source of real news. The airwaves are 95% right wing hate radio, dominated by the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Boortz, etc. etc. and other clear channel propagandists. The newspapers are controlled by the corporate media and except for very rare exceptions tow the administration line. Television has no liberal outlets, certainly not the cable news shows. The internet is the only place to hold the administration's feet to the fire, so to speak. I attribute a free internet for having a lot to do with the Democratic victory in '06, without it and the liberal bloggers I don't think the Democrats would have taken either house of congress.