An Emerging Front in Attacking Free Speech
I have seen several stories of late where folks are attempting to use Federal and state anti-stalking statutes to create prior restraints on speech. Not only is this wrong, but it is more likely than not to be enforced in a non-neutral way vis a vis content -- ie frequent criticism of a climate skeptic is justified defense of science, frequent criticism of Al Gore is stalking.
Sam L.:
Let's report Al Gore's remarks as stalking! He's big, he's mean, and pretty clearly he's out to get us.
August 30, 2011, 1:20 pmsteve:
If the government wins this case, the next step for them is to apply it to a group. After all, if 8,000 tweets from one man is harrasment. Then 10 tweets each from 800 men should be just as damaging to the target individual.
As far as being enforced in a non-neutral way. I think that is the eventual endpoint of our expanding criminal justice system. Make everyone a defacto criminal, then simply punish your enemies and give a pass to your friends. Everything is turned into a matter of politics to be decided and judged by each individual in the political system occording to their own pet peeves and prejudices. No uniformity. No predictability. Rule by men, not by law.
On a side note, I don't buy the whole directed conspiracy argument though. I think it is the result of many uncoordinated individuals within the system each trying to maximize his/her own power.
August 31, 2011, 3:32 pm