New York Lawmakers Want Anonymous Comments Banned

[HTMLBasicTutor]

Ya might want to check and see if the data center supporting your website/blog is in New York. Not the web hosting company, the data center.

A bill before the New York State Assembly would essentially ban anonymous comments on New York-based Web sites.

Earlier this week a Wired writer discovered a bill had been introduced this spring in both chambers called the Internet Protection Act. The proposed law would require that a Web site administrator "upon request shall 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."

Additionally, "All Web site administrators shall have a contact number or e-mail address posted for such removal requests, clearly visible in any sections where comments are posted."

New York Lawmakers Want Anonymous Comments Banned

[Attorney Jaffe]

I am by no means a constitutional scholar, but I do not think a bill this broad would stand up to a 1st amendment challenge.

[robjones]

Big Brother is really busy this year. In effect all they'll do is kill the data-center business in New York until, as stated above, it gets challenged and knocked down.

[indybail]

It is unfortunate that bullies can hide behind anonymous posts, but that anonymity cuts both ways as in situations that help protect anonymous corporate and government whistler blowers from institutional bullies.

Another example would be confidential posting about bullying that crosses the line into criminal behavior. I'm sure I am missing a legion of other examples, but one thing I have noticed is that folks have adverse reaction to being called out a bully no matter the situation.

The more I think about it, the more I think this bill does bullying victims more harm than good, regardless of the constitutional issues.