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Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Should Online Impersonation Be a Crime?

A few years ago, someone named Bernie O'Hare was posting all kinds of outrageous comments at The Morning Call online forum. Racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism. You name it, Bernie O'Hare did it. But it was not me.

I get into enough trouble with my own wacky opinions. I need no help.

It took several calls and emails over a period of weeks, but The Morning Call finally came up with a fix. It banned all online comments by anyone named Bernie O'Hare, including me.

I know several bloggers who have impersonated other people to post comments. It is always done to make the impersonated person look ridiculous.

State Rep. Kathleen Watson would like to make online impersonation a crime. She has a bill pending in the State House Judiciary Committee. She's managed to pick up several sponsors, including State Rep. Jennifer Mann.

According to Patch, Watson's inspiration was what happened to Bucks County teacher, who was impersonated online by some students with the intent to harass her.

Ten states have criminalized online impersonation.
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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2012 at 12:17 PM

    Certainly infuriating.
    How do you deal with Ernie O'hare and Sir Pulpudski?
    Some kind of lampoon?
    Satire?
    Questionable truths?
    If you could reach through the screen and throttle these perps....

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    Delicate balance between impersonation and satire, true.

    Wonder what the Blog Mentor (if I'm correct) thinks? (wink wink)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 5, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    Should Online Impersonation Be a Crime?

    Absolutely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. GODSeptember 5, 2012 at 11:52 PM

    Most Definitely!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 6, 2012 at 12:52 PM

    Forget the merrits. The bill was introduced in March. It hasn't received as much as a committee vote. It's not going anywhere.

    Judiciary Committees in both chambers are busy focusing on the SCOTUS ruling pertaining to juvi sentencing. This might get lumped into something in the future, but not sentencing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 6, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    Then it should also be a crime to have some jackass impersonate GOD too!

    Really? This is the stuff our legislators are worried about?

    This is why this State is in the sad state it is in

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bernie O'HareSeptember 6, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    Until someone starts impersonating you ... or your children.

    ReplyDelete
  8. BernieOhareSeptember 7, 2012 at 10:33 AM

    I smell my own farts

    ReplyDelete

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