That C|Net article isn't even really accurate with regards to the law in question.
The body of text as-posted by nubia comes up on a
Boing Boing thread discussing the
Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. The Act itself passed as a Justice Dept. appropriations bill earlier this year and Section 113, related to `Cyberstalking Prevention`, updated a couple of terms in an already-existing law.
The law on the books that would be applied here is part of the US Code that deals with harassing telephone calls. (The law has been updated to reflect new technology.)
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode47/usc_sec_47_00000223----000-.html
Relevant section:
Quote:
(a) Prohibited acts generally
Whoever—
(1) in interstate or foreign communications—
(A) by means of a telecommunications device knowingly—
(i) makes, creates, or solicits, and
(ii) initiates the transmission of any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other communication which is obscene or child pornography, with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass another person;
(B) by means of a telecommunications device knowingly—
(i) makes, creates, or solicits, and
(ii) initiates the transmission of any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other communication which is obscene or child pornography, knowing that the recipient of the communication is under 18 years of age, regardless of whether the maker of such communication placed the call or initiated the communication;
shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
Have your base lawyer read the fu[gold][/gold]cking law. If he exists, that is.
Edited, Tue Apr 18 19:13:25 2006 by Wingchild