Government taking over our Internet?

Since you care so much about how your "bad words" are symbolized, I think you might want to hear about this. Heard about it this morning on my main forums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1YjEP2i1D8
So, there's a bill in the House that we can't legally offend someone via text, internet, etc. AKA, cyber bullying. This means no foul language, and no coercing or intimidating someone to emotional means.
Congress will make the decision on who's being offensive or not, as ruling goes.
And they're going to turn trackers into our computers?
What do YOU think?

*moved to Serious Discussion*

Since it's a serious topic, I've moved it to the SD forum. However, if you guys want to just chat about it, I can move it back.

I find this wrong. It gets in the way of freedom of speech, and it is an invasion of privacy. They should not find crap people have said OVER THE INTERNET and bring you to court. It is flat out WRONG.

Ah **** this sensibility **** is getting way out of hand. People will always get offended. Grow some skin or something. They are trying to make this perfect 'nobody is offended and everyone is happy' world by law. Which doesn't work it will only make our differences stand out more. I want people to have the freedom to call me a ****ing idiot and I want the freedom to call others ****ing idiots. If you say but hey you don't live in the US why do you care? Well the internet is still mainly US-based so anything they do on the internet we'll feel as well. That and the fact that someone over here might start to think it's a good idea!

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.”

Because America needs more ridiculous lawsuits.

Thanks, Jehanne, I was just debating where to put it, so I went to the safe side.
Icky: Best movie ever. I love you for that quote.

I absolutely cannot stand the idea of even thinking of this. Its not like the population is decreasing to a serious amount due to this, hell, maybe it'll LESSEN the pollution if its doing anything.
On a more serious note, I doubt the bill will pass, hell, I'm hoping it doesn't. It violates the 5th amendment (if I'm not to sleepy to lack intelligence). Then again, will it be "okay" if Congress makes the decision now, and not the foundational paper to the United States? Personally I don't think so, but I think most brainwashed adults that "the Internet is bad" may support this, and there could be enough of them.

people are only concerned about the constitution when it involves them. Other than that, they don't care what it says. It seems as if the goverment is trying to make some kind of perfect society these days. Look at what they're doing to tobacco. I'm not a smoker, but I still think alot of it is meaningless. I can't understand why, but these days most Americans feel that we need to be the moral police of the world. And our goverment seems to feel the same way.

NO ONES TAKING MY INTERNETZ AWAY!

If the implications of this bill are accurate (which I somehow doubt), Congress offends me.

Originally Posted by kellyyysayss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1YjEP2i1D8
So, there's a bill in the House that we can't legally offend someone via text, internet, etc. AKA, cyber bullying. This means no foul language, and no coercing or intimidating someone to emotional means.
Congress will make the decision on who's being offensive or not, as ruling goes.
And they're going to turn trackers into our computers?
What do YOU think?

This sounds like we're turning into Communist China, honestly. I think Congress just needs a kick in the dick, because there will be a mass revolt if this law is EVER passed. Who's with me?!

but you guys , i dont really think the government could really take over the internet

****ing mother****ers better not do **** to my internet.

There's no way this can pass though. There is a little thing called the first amendment.

the internet is way to big.
seriously the lame ass government would have to have more than a billion people controlling the internet 24/7 and i don't think that possible at least i hope its not

Originally Posted by Avalanchemike

Because America needs more ridiculous lawsuits.

All the lawyers are getting bored with rediculously vague sexual harrassment suits, so they though this up. Gotta keep em happy.

Anyway, I agree, this is definantly a violation of free speech.

Originally Posted by Dead Zealot

This sounds like we're turning into Communist China, honestly. I think Congress just needs a kick in the dick, because there will be a mass revolt if this law is EVER passed. Who's with me?!

Well, sorta. I think you're just comparing the strictness of the possible turn we could take.

Yes, it violates the first amendment, but its it okay if Congress decides what's bad and what isn't? Would this bill override the first amendment and the original structure of our government?

Originally Posted by MonStarDeity

the internet is way to big.
seriously the lame ass government would have to have more than a billion people controlling the internet 24/7 and i don't think that possible at least i hope its not

Doesn't stop them from trying. And it looks like they are going to give it a shot. And of course, like all laws in this country, it is a front to "protect the children."

Originally Posted by Dark Wyrm

Doesn't stop them from trying. And it looks like they are going to give it a shot. And of course, like all laws in this country, it is a front to "protect the children."

you'd think people would start to realize what a fallacy that is.

Originally Posted by Dark Wyrm

Doesn't stop them from trying. And it looks like they are going to give it a shot. And of course, like all laws in this country, it is a front to "protect the children."

that is true.....

Write your Congressman or vote 'em out. If they aren't doing what you think they should be doing you have the power and the responsibility to do somthing about it.

>_> This is why I don't like big Government.

Okay there are two issues here: Firstly I'm going to point out that this is Fox News, and so everything there should be taken not only with a pinch of salt, but an entire shakerful.

Secondly, the segment the presenter quotes states that your actions only become a crime when you have intended to coerce blah blah blah. The keyword there is intent, and intent is particularly hard to prove in a court of law. So what he says afterwords about Congress deciding what is and isn't offensive is bull****, because they won't be categorizing what is and isn't offensive - what you say only becomes criminally offensive under this law if it can be proved that you have intended to offend or harass by making that communication. Whether or not that violates the First Amendment is open to interpretation, but if censorship doesn't violate the First Amendment, neither does this, I would think. When the legal adviser fella says "That's absolutely true"? He's talking out of his arse.