Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves


A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.

"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -


Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.

On Mar 10, 4:12*pm, HK wrote:
Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves


A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.

"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -

Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.

Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.

wrote:
On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves


A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.

"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -

Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.

Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.


Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.

"HK" wrote in message
...

wrote:

On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:

Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.

Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.


Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.


Heh. You realize, don't you Harry, that a picture you posted a while back
of your Vista desktop clearly showed a shortcut to a program called, "Hide
My ISP" ?

Not being "snarky", but everytime you complain about anonymity I think of
that image and program.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

wrote:

On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.
Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.

Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.


Heh. You realize, don't you Harry, that a picture you posted a while back
of your Vista desktop clearly showed a shortcut to a program called, "Hide
My ISP" ?

Not being "snarky", but everytime you complain about anonymity I think of
that image and program.

Eisboch



Eisboch,
While Eisboch is not your given name, and my mother does not call me
"Reggie", if I made any threats, cyber bulling or committed any crime
online, it would be very easy for the authorities to find my name,
address and phone number. My ISP does know my name, telephone, number
and my home address and can look it up in less than 5 secs.

The "Hide My IP" is a program to truly surf the net Anonymously, even
from the police.

According to the software designer for Hide My IP:

Key Benefits & Features

Anonymous Web Surfing - Prevent others from seeing your true IP when
browsing the Internet.
Change your IP frequently with the click of a button!

Protect Your Identity - Identity thieves can use your IP address to
monitor your web activity and intercept your private financial
information. Criminals, hackers, and even the government can trace your
exact location right down to your street address.

Send Anonymous E-mails - Prevent your real IP address from being shown
in E-mail headers on any Webmail E-mail service such as Yahoo, Hotmail,
or Gmail. It is very easy using publicly available tools to find your
general geographic area that you sent the E-mail from.

Un-ban Yourself From Forums and Message Boards - Have you been banned
from a forum or message board? No problem! Use Hide My IP to change your
IP and clear your browser cookies, allowing you to access any website
that has banned you such as eBay, Craigslist, and many browser-based games.

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

wrote:

On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.
Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.

Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.


Heh. You realize, don't you Harry, that a picture you posted a while back
of your Vista desktop clearly showed a shortcut to a program called, "Hide
My ISP" ?

Not being "snarky", but everytime you complain about anonymity I think of
that image and program.

Eisboch




So?

What's that got to do with my desire to end anonymous usenet posting?
Ending anonymous posting would make this a far more pleasant place,
though I'd bet real money at about a dozen of the snarkiest posters here
would find another hobby.

"HK" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...

wrote:

On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a
start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.
Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.

Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.


Heh. You realize, don't you Harry, that a picture you posted a while
back of your Vista desktop clearly showed a shortcut to a program called,
"Hide My ISP" ?

Not being "snarky", but everytime you complain about anonymity I think of
that image and program.

Eisboch


So?

What's that got to do with my desire to end anonymous usenet posting?
Ending anonymous posting would make this a far more pleasant place, though
I'd bet real money at about a dozen of the snarkiest posters here would
find another hobby.

This is not a smart ass question. Do you have a listed telephone number? If
not, why not?

HK wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves


A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.

"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -

Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.

Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.


Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.

Harry,
Beside you telling us your name is Harry Krause, you are just as
anonymous as "Reggie". No one really knows which Harry Krause you are,
there are many in the US and what your home address and phone number is.
We really don't know for certain if your name really is Harry Krause,
or it is just a UseNet persona. If everyone had to submit to a
background check, and all of the information was in the public domain,
what would you do differently when communicating with someone in UseNet?

On Mar 10, 6:23*pm, "Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is Here
wrote:
HK wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves


A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.

House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.

Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."

"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.

Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.

"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -

Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.

wrote:
On Mar 10, 6:23 pm, "Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is Here
wrote:
HK wrote:
wrote:
On Mar 10, 4:12 pm, HK wrote:
Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2008
Anonymous Web postings targeted
BILL WOULD REQUIRE NAMES, ADDRESSES
By John Cheves

A bill filed in the House would keep Kentuckians from posting anonymous
comments to Web sites.
House Bill 775, filed Tuesday by Rep. Tim Couch, R-Hyden, would require
anyone who contributes to a Web site to register a real name, address
and e-mail address with that Web site. The person's full name then would
be used whenever he or she posted a comment.
Web site operators who violate the disclosure law would be fined $500
for a first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
Couch readily acknowledged on Wednesday that his bill raises First
Amendment issues regarding free speech, so he won't be pushing it. But
he wanted to call attention to the phenomenon of unkind and often untrue
comments about people being posted online by Kentuckians hiding behind
the cloak of anonymity.
"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district,
usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too."
"When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone,
and nobody knows who you are," he said.
Couch said he, too, has been the subject of anonymous online roasting,
and while he doesn't enjoy it, he doesn't think there's much the
legislature can do about it.
"I think right now (online posting) is pretty much just on its own. It's
a machine that's going to go its own way," Couch said. "The state can
try to pass some rules, but I don't really think it would do anything."
- - -
Not quite my idea for shedding the cloak of anonymity, but it's a start.
I'd love to see usenet require posters to post with their full, real
name and real ISP.
Could get costly. As a web hosting provider I would be looking for a
software package that would block all ip's from that state to any
access to my systems, just like Indonesia and China. It is a political
ploy anyway, someone looking for votes.
Well, I think getting rid of usenet anonymity is a great idea.
Harry,
Beside you telling us your name is Harry Krause, you are just as
anonymous as "Reggie". No one really knows which Harry Krause you are,
there are many in the US and what your home address and phone number is.
We really don't know for certain if your name really is Harry Krause,
or it is just a UseNet persona. If everyone had to submit to a
background check, and all of the information was in the public domain,
what would you do differently when communicating with someone in UseNet?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I know who he is, and could call him right now or send him a letter,
directly to his house... Just for the record...

Yes, but how do I know you are not lying to me?