The end to anonymous message boards... possibly in new York

[BewareofNick]

You're kidding, right?

 

Since when does any site and/or Yahoo or Gmail require legal I.D. to sign up? Every free internet email account that I use has completely fictitious information attached to it. The same is true for 99% of forum registrations. I never give my out my correct phone number to anyone I don't know and trust. My cable bill, which includes my IP address is not in my name. There better be proof of a serious crime before I give up my anonymity, or I'll quit this diversion.

 

RH, you'll have to remember that instudiocity is simply parrotting GOP talking points. I know you are well aware that the GOP has a great disdain for the Constitution and the First Amendment in particular. He is simply trying to provide a rationale for ignoring the First Amendment as provided to him by the folks at GOP HQ, aka the Fox "News" Channel.

[seeker630]

RH, you'll have to remember that instudiocity is simply parrotting GOP talking points. I know you are well aware that the GOP has a great disdain for the Constitution and the First Amendment in particular. He is simply trying to provide a rationale for ignoring the First Amendment as provided to him by the folks at GOP HQ, aka the Fox "News" Channel.

 

I don't think its as clear-cut as you seem to see it - and I'm NOT a Republican (and I'm not sure I've EVER watched Fox news).

 

If someone is libeling you on the internet and causing damage to your professional reputation, are you not entitled to know who they are?

 

What about cyber-bullying that causes a teen-ager to commit suicide - is that free speech protected by the Constitution and immune from prosecution?

[seeker630]

You're kidding, right?

 

Since when does any site and/or Yahoo or Gmail require legal I.D. to sign up? Every free internet email account that I use has completely fictitious information attached to it. The same is true for 99% of forum registrations. I never give my out my correct phone number to anyone I don't know and trust. My cable bill, which includes my IP address is not in my name. There better be proof of a serious crime before I give up my anonymity, or I'll quit this diversion.

 

I'm impressed. How do you manage to PAY your cable bill anonymously? And doesn't your cable account have your actual address on it?

[instudiocity]

You'll note yet another assault on free speech by a Republican. I'll never understand why the GOP has such disdain for the Constitution.

Assault? Interesting - so two anonymous posters can libel a Republican who goes to court requesting the judge open the files so that she can defend her reputation and that's an ASSAULT? Wow!

[instudiocity]

You're kidding, right?

 

Since when does any site and/or Yahoo or Gmail require legal I.D. to sign up? Every free internet email account that I use has completely fictitious information attached to it. The same is true for 99% of forum registrations. I never give my out my correct phone number to anyone I don't know and trust. My cable bill, which includes my IP address is not in my name. There better be proof of a serious crime before I give up my anonymity, or I'll quit this diversion.

 

Well, you see, RockHard, this thing called the Internet has all these addresses. It's how it works!

 

All Internet devices to carry a MAC address and every Internet Access Point has an IP Address. Further, the only way the websites you surf can show up on your monitor is if the Internet can identify YOUR COMPUTER. So the websites associate your unique MAC address and IP address together and send the bytes right back to you. That's how every node on the network discriminates just who you are - by your computer's MAC address and IP address.

 

So unless you bought your computer for cash, refusing to give the seller your name and address, and didn't purchase a warranty or register it with manufacturer, you're correct, there is no record of who owns that computer with that MAC address.

 

But then you take you computer online. With the IP address, even if you could have the bill in another name, you've got it on the Internet with a discriminate address, even if it's sharing a Public IP address. The Internet knows where you are with your computer. So, now we're down to the sub-net. How does your computer get it's webpages in the sub-net instead of on one of the other computers? Oh, it has a local IP address, too.

 

So EVERYTHING YOU POST ON THE INTERNET posts with your unique MAC address, your unique Sub-Net Address, and whatever IP Address is assigned to your cable modem. Yahoo Mail, Google Mail, Message-Forum posts carry the tatoo of your unique digits. Your subterfuge may delay them, but the Storm-Troopers will show up at your location, looking for the owner of the computer with that unique MAC address. They will be able to find you, simply by process of elimination, if nothing else.

 

See you screwed up the first time you logged that MAC address into the Internet.

[BewareofNick]

I don't think its as clear-cut as you seem to see it - and I'm NOT a Republican (and I'm not sure I've EVER watched Fox news).

 

If someone is libeling you on the internet and causing damage to your professional reputation, are you not entitled to know who they are?

 

What about cyber-bullying that causes a teen-ager to commit suicide - is that free speech protected by the Constitution and immune from prosecution?

 

I am sure I am not qualified to judge that, however....

 

In such cases of libel, ISC points out that there are ways to discover who the person is. Much like any other right, there is a responsibility that comes with it.

 

The cyber bullying is beyond disgusting, BUT....the decision to commit suicide was made by the person who did it. It is not direct cause and effect.