The End of the Internet? Cybersecurity Act gives Obama power to shut down internet, ignore laws

Updated 05/29/09: See Michelle Malkin – Obama’s Security Police

Original Post, 05/13/09: Shelly Roche reports that  a new Cybersecurity bill would grant the President unprecedented power to shut down the internet and ignore privacy laws.

 

Bloggers Could Be Jailed For Their Opinions

(Updated)

Democrat Linda T. Sanchez and 14 others are proposing a House of Representatives bill (H. R. 1966), that could be interpreted to put bloggers and others in jail for voicing their opinions. Here is the relevant text:

Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both….

["Communication"] means the electronic transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user’s choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received; …

["Electronic means"] means any equipment dependent on electrical power to access an information service, including email, instant messaging, blogs, websites, telephones, and text messages.

The measure, H.R. 1966, is labeled the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act. It’s intention is to prevent the behavior that led to last year’s suicide of the 13-year-old Meier who was harassed on MySpace.com.

Despite the good intentions, the language can be interpreted by any person or lawyer to fine or jail bloggers if someone believes they are caused “emotional distress.” A blog like Ft. Hard Knox or others could be imprisonment under this loose interpretation. The problem with the bill is not its intent, but its vague wording that can be used by any liberal group who thinks they are being harassed, intimidated, or distressed. It is cause for concern that our First Amendment rights could be violated.

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Also see: TechDirt – What is Cyberbullying Anyway?