Watching faceless online passerby troll bloggers or mock fellow scribblers can be a drag, but what if legislators’ answer to online ne’er-do-wells was to ban anonymous comments from websites entirely? That’s what the state of New York is planning to do in identical bills — S.6779 and A.8688 – proposed by the New York State Assembly that would “amend the civil rights law” in order to “[protect] a person’s right to know who is behind an anonymous internet posting.”
The bill would require a web administrator to “upon request remove any comments posted on his or her web site by an anonymous poster unless such anonymous poster agrees to attach his or her name to the post and confirms that his or her IP address, legal name, and home address are accurate.” By “web site,” the bill means just what it seems to: Any New York-based website, including “social networks, blogs forums, message boards or any other discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages.”
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11 Responses
This bill is clearly unconstitutional, and typical of what we expect from Democrats — except that its sponsors are Republicans! These so-called Republicans must be forcefully reminded of their obligation to the constitution and freedom. If they don’t withdraw the bill they should face primary challenges.
Oh, the right to know who’s behind another post! So like, my right to violate your right. Brilliant! What’s next, my right to stop someone’s religious practice or freedom of speach?
The Soviet Union was way ahead of us. They’ve been practicing these rights for years. They even protected children from religious coercion, AKA Chinuch.
My real name is Mary Jane, I live Down the Drain. Is this good enough ?!?
Offer to the people who run this site – I’ll trade you my name for yours.
Once again, I feel I have to state that the internet defies authority and routes around it. This was inherent in the original design of the internet, in that a block at any point never stops traffic, because it can route around it.
Once again, I feel I have to state that the internet defies authority and routes around it.
Clearly would be struck down by the courts.
1. How does New York get the right to regulate interstate commerce?
2. Then there’s the first amendment.
3. Of course, if someone is anonymous, how can they sue to block the law.
4. So what’s to keep New York internet providers from moving their servers to New Jersey?
5. At least this proves that not only Israel has dumb politicians.
Akuperma
1. how does interstate commerce figure into this? The bill only purports to regulate NY sites.
2. Yes, there is.
3. They can sue anonymously, either as John Does or under seal.
4. Nothing.
5. True that.
Yes, there is a first amendment of free speech, but that does not include free “anonymous” speech.
Also, Defamation is illegal, no matter if you “post” anonymous or not. Judges all over the country have forced hosts to give over information on “anonymous” posters.
#10, the first amendment certainly does protect anonymous speech. Where did you get the bizarre idea that it does not? This shows your ignorance on the subject, and disqualifies you from commenting further.
And yes, defamation is unprotected and illegal, and a plaintiff having demonstrated that a comment is defamatory is entitled to whatever information a site or ISP has that could identify that commenter. But first he must demonstrate that he has a case. People who are not engaging in defamation are entitled to speak anonymously.