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02/06/2004 Archived Entry: "Go to prison for lying about your address?"

BOHICA. Own your own domain name? Be very afraid of this:

If you don’t tell the world your email, home address and telephone number you could face a seven-year jail sentence and a $150,000 fine under new legislation that the US Congress is trying to push past today.

Senator Lamar Smith of Texas - chairman of the Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee - yesterday produced from nowhere extensions to the 1946 Trademark Act that would make giving false contact information for a domain name a civil and criminal offence.

Of course it's sheer idiocy. But that never stopped any piece of legislation from passing before.

There'd always be ways to get around a requirement to give every spammer, stalker, and LEO goon on the planet your personal information. But it would be one more damn thing to have to dream up evasive, Outlawish tactics for.

These people are beginning to piss me off.

Oh, wait. I forgot. They already piss me off ...

Posted by Claire @ 07:52 AM CST
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