Lost_Warrior Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 This was posted by Randall on Ecauldron: A law was proposed in Connecticut yesterday (and will soon be proposed in up to 20 other states) that would shut down The Cauldron and most other web sites with message boards, chat rooms, comment posting on blogs, shoutboxes or anything that allows users to post any information and have it appear on the web site, The law would require the web sites to verify the age of all members and obtain verified permission from parents of anyone found to be under 18. This law is designed to "protect" minors from sexual predators at online sites like MySpace but is written so broadly that it applies to every message board, blog, chat room, etc. on the web. It might even apply to IRC networks and instant messengers. According to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal as quoted in an article on Wired News "The technology is available. The solution is financially feasible, practically doable." Perhaps it is financially feasible for MySpace, but it is not for 99 percent of the community sites on the web. The passage of such a bill in any state in the US would probably shut TC down. Here is the original thread: http://www.ecauldron.net/forum/index.php?topic=172.0 I do not know if this is true or not, and I hope to the Gods it isn't. It would probably mean the end to the site which I've spent hours of my time on, as even though the host company might be able to enforce this, many of my members are barely 18ers or under. It could also spell doom to my blog I have worked so hard on if it causes Wordpress to shut down, and depending on where UNRV is hosted, it could go down to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 It definitely sounds troublesome. Indeed another indication of using fear and hype to impose restrictive laws on everyone rather than use existing laws to prosecute transgressors. At any rate, I'm not too worried about being shut down, but installing age verification utilities might be a painful/expensive process. There seems to be loopholes, especially considering the nature of the net as an international entity, but I will be writing a letter to my state representative and US senators in order to make my opposition heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 I do not know where he got this information, it might be complete hype; I have posed that question in the original thread. I have not heard of this anywhere else, so I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 (edited) As far as I am concerned, UNRV is a learning platform. I don't know if the article is true or not (I don't trust the web), but in UNRV's case, the Tyrants keep the place as clean as a whistle. I am sure that there are school 'kids' on this site. It would be a tragedy to deny them this site. If spammers, predators, and sundry rogues were given stiff monetary penalties and hard jail time this might clear things some. A little tangent. I think that the fax spammers are employed by the printer companies to use up all that expensive ink. Turn mine off unless I know that a wanted fax is on its way. --------------------------------- N.B. Remember to get your essays in. Edited March 9, 2007 by Gaius Octavius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Here is the news story from Wired News. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 How ironic. I can't think of a greater den of sexual predators than legislative assemblies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rameses the Great Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Don't stress this is an academic forum. Trust me there are a lot of misleading forums they need to target, this is definently not one of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 How ironic. I can't think of a greater den of sexual predators than legislative assemblies. WORD! Turn on speakers and clicky here -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Do you think that those republik preverts ever had the exquisite pleasure of wrapping a babe in their arms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Do you think that those republik preverts ever had the exquisite pleasure of wrapping a babe in their arms? Define 'babe' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlapse Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 If this law passes, you'll still have the same activity. People will find a way around it. I would find a way around it. Now instead of having sexual predators as criminals, you have website operators as criminals. I'm almost dumbfounded that some imbecile actually thinks this would work. Then again, I personally can't rule out other agendas unrelated to sexual predators. Laws like this would only be able to be enforced if the 'verified permissions' were verified by a state or federal government. In addition to information collected on each child attending a state school, this could continue the chain of precedents allowing information to be collected and compiled for each person. Ironically, this is all in the name of protection of rights, the government's supposed role. How, then, might we contrive...one noble lie to persuade if possible the rulers themselves, but failing that the rest of the city? - Plato, The Republic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted March 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Here is some more info: Bill Status Committee in Charge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divi Filius Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 (edited) I dont see the proposal ever making its way through; if it does it will be nothing but an embarrassment to Congress: they have little to no way of fully enforcing it. On a side note: Turkey's recent court decision.. sure enough people can still access it there. this could continue the chain of precedents allowing information to be collected and compiled for each person. No surprise here. The govt has been doing this since Bush stepped into power. They inch and inch closer and closer to us and we do little but complain... Edited March 10, 2007 by Divi Filius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochus of Seleucia Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Hah! Violate my 10th amendment rights! [insert rant here] Is this the next 18th Amendment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 I dont see the proposal ever making its way through; if it does it will be nothing but an embarrassment to Congress: they have little to no way of fully enforcing it. On a side note: Turkey's recent court decision.. sure enough people can still access it there. this could continue the chain of precedents allowing information to be collected and compiled for each person. No surprise here. The govt has been doing this since Bush stepped into power. They inch and inch closer and closer to us and we do little but complain... Hmm...let me see...since Bush stepped into power, everyone has been horrified by the serious issue of online predators(due to constant media exposure). We can complain, but the fact is, the internet is not a very safe place and there needs to be some measure of protection that the government must provide. However, the "new law" is a state law(so don't blame the feds this time really) that only targets sites like "myspace" where it has been a hotbed for inappropriate things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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