-"Cyberbullying" bill threatens free speech

The bipartisan Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act has been reintroduced into Congress. The proposed legislation would legislation would demand up to two years in prison for those whose electronic speech is meant to “coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person.”

The act is in response to and is named for last year's case of cyberbullying in which the mother of Megan Meier's friend posed as a teenage boy and ultimately caused her to kill herself. The wording of the bill however, can easily be interpreted as to covering anything if it is convenient.

The bill includes limiting "hostile speech" among such mediums as email, websites, blogs, text messaging, and even over the telephone. Why don't they just try to outlaw the emotions of anger and hate while they're at it?

A bill such as this, while seemingly well-intentioned, is a severe infringement on free speech which, as noted in period days, is being quickly, quietly, and efficiently eroded right in front of our eyes. The government cannot possibly try to control every form of possible evil, and in doing so they threaten the very foundation our country was founded upon.

This document has been disregarded in recent years.

Source: Wired