Comments on: Hate Mail, Anyone?

By: John

John — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:50:42 +0000

There are not any laws against most hate mail, the CDA (communications decency act) was passed in 1996 to prevent repeated phone calls to or annoy someone (Im assuming that includes texting) but in 1997 it was declared unconstitutional the Child Online Protection act (COPA) was also passed to protect for child pornography ect. but was also declared unconstitutional because of the first amendment of freedom of speech. Now these sites have to require you to say i accept that I am over 18 but a child could just say that. other laws have been passed too but none have stayed very long or been very affective. The government can only regulate Radio broadcasts and television because they technically own those frequencies and just let companies rent them. The government cannot currently control P2P connections (Peer to peer) which is essentially what the internet is. This is a big way for Intolerant people or racists to use telecommunications as a vehicle for hate crimes with big effects. Megan Meier was a victim of this through facebook and in the end killed herself because of one of her friends PARENTS set up a fake facebook and harassed her. They were not prosecuted and the media did not even post their names up until recently because they didn’t want to “hurt” their daughter. this is just one of the many cases where cyber bullying and other have lead to cases were the offender could not be prosecuted.

By: Aramink

Aramink — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:45:29 +0000

Report it to your local police. They take care of notifying the police where the sender lives.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:08:25 +0000

how can i report hate mail? The sender lives in another state

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 06:51:01 +0000

I’m from Arkansas and I didn’t know we had any laws against harassing text messages. I have an ex-boyfriend that will not stop texting me. Two months ago, I notified the police with my concern. They spoke with him and informed him he would be arrested if he continued to text me. He stopped, until now. Again, he is texting me all the time. I replied one time and said, We are not friends, do not talk to me, you cannot be trusted. He freaked. Went from Mr. Nice guy to-You are gonna make me kill myself. Next, came the insults. I called the police only to find that because I texted him back once, that I am encouraging him and there’s nothing I can do but ignore him. I am floored. I called Cingular and they said I cannot block him from calling or texting me. They said I can change my # and it will cost $35. I am a single mother and cannot afford to do that. It cost me everytime he texts, even if I don’t read the message. I guess the police called him because he texted “Thanks a lot for calling the cops on me again.” I am simply amazed. I can’t believe that no-one can make this unstable maniac leave me alone. He has also been barred from my work by my boss.