MySpace Suicide Case Could Make Us All Criminals

[Attero Dominatus]

NEW YORK —  Think twice before you sign up for an online service using a fake name or e-mail address. You could be committing a federal crime.

Federal prosecutors turned to a novel interpretation of computer hacking law to indict a Missouri mother on charges connected to the suicide of a 13-year-old MySpace user.

Prosecutors alleged that by helping create a MySpace account in the name of someone who didn't exist, Lori Drew, 49, violated the News Corp.-owned site's terms of service and thus illegally accessed protected computers.

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Legal experts warned Friday that such an interpretation could criminalize routine behavior on the Internet.

After all, people regularly create accounts or post information under aliases for many legitimate reasons, including parody, spam avoidance and a desire to maintain their anonymity or privacy online or that of a child.

This new interpretation also gives a business contract the force of a law: Violations of a Web site's user agreement could now lead to criminal sanction, not just civil lawsuits or ejection from a site.

"I think the danger of applying a statute in this way is that it could have unintended consequences," said John Palfrey, a Harvard law professor who leads a MySpace-convened task force on Internet safety. "An application of a general statute like this might result in chilling a great deal of online speech and other freedom."

Continued: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356435,00.html

[jendf]

It will be interesting to watch this unfold and to see what kind of precedent this sets.

While I do think Lori Drew is a POS, I don't think there is sufficient grounds to prosecute her.

And I also don't think there will be a mass raid on internet accounts to see if the people who created those accounts are who they say they are. That's just stupid and a colossal waste of time.

Like the article says, many people do create "false" accounts for legitimate purposes. I have a false Yahoo e-mail that I use for newsletters and stuff. I don't want that stuff clogging my real e-mail that I use for work and "serious" correspondence.

I certainly don't think that will earn me a trip to federal prison.

[Chris_]

If jcc and/or tno kill themselves from my comments (and they might), I will turn myself in.

Now if anyone kills themself from what Shannon or Schade says, it is probably just simple suicide.

;)

[MrsSmith]

We don't all use false names...(just saying...)   

[Ptarmigan]

Some of the charges I saw I didn't think would stick and are dubious at best. They should charge Lori Drew with conspiracy and possibly soliciting sex from a minor. Also, she did lie to police and her husband ordered Ashley Grills to delete the account, which is evidence tampering and that is a crime. Anyways, Lori Drew is to blame for this whole mess. We all know who to blame for this mess. Lori Drew can burn in Hell with all those evil vermins like Saddam Hussein and Eric Harris/Dylan Klebold. 

[Chris_]

Some of the charges I saw I didn't think would stick and are dubious at best. They should charge Lori Drew with conspiracy and possibly soliciting sex from a minor. Also, she did lie to police and her husband ordered Ashley Grills to delete the account, which is evidence tampering and that is a crime. Anyways, Lori Drew is to blame for this whole mess. We all know who to blame for this mess. Lori Drew can burn in Hell with all those evil vermins like Saddam Hussein and Eric Harris/Dylan Klebold. 

And Rodger Rabbit.  You left out Rodger Rabbit.

[Ptarmigan]

And Rodger Rabbit.  You left out Rodger Rabbit.

Yes, I forgot. I forgot Bugs Bunny.

[NHSparky]

Hence why many websites do not allow you to sign up using Yahell or other "free" e-mail accounts.