US Attorneys Fishing For Tons Of Info On Anonymous Commenters

techdirt ^

[Freedom2specul8]

Someone once said: “there will always be liars and frauds on the internet”...
I’d venture to guess it’s still true. ;-)

[pandoraou812]

Some of my friends use dating services like bikerornot & they don't use their real names. They lie & make up names. Who is going to check? I crack up when I see what they post. What is funnier is when they meet these guys in person. They aren't the hot biker guy from the picture most of the time. The long hair is gone & the guys say I shaved my head lol. But a few of my friends have actually married using those kind of sites. I would be too scared to be doing it but they don't want to sit in bars. My husband has had to get my one friend out of some nasty situations. I think it is dangerous & foolish. But I don't blame them for not wanting to sit in bars either.

[Chickensoup]

Might not be a good idea to have a special card with the letters OJ on it.

Online Journalist?

We can spell it out...

[Freedom2specul8]

You’re right, it is scary because the user doesn’t know who they are dealing with. (I have the same argument about craig’s list) I know of one couple who met online and are now married with one child. It worked for them. We have to recognize that it’s not impossible. In my opinion it’s a gamble, or a shot in the dark. Your husband was nice to help your friend out...thank God he or she had someone to help. Bars are definitely not the best place to find a soulmate. (although, here again, others who have found a nice guy or gal in a bar would disagree- I wouldn’t do that either) I’m very grateful to have been married for so long, and am not in the dating scene. It’s so different that it was 25 yrs ago. I like the idea of meeting people who have connections, IE:work, friends, neighbors etc.. That makes them traceable with history vs unknown history in online dating. It’s a risk.

[pandoraou812]

I agree about Craigslist for sure. My husband has been getting tile work off there since his company has no work. Scares me each time he goes for a job. However he says I shouldn't worry. I guess he is right, I don't think anyone who had ideas to mess with him would once they saw him. He is mean looking biker who can back himself up well enough. I've met some of my best friends online. They were just who they said they were. But I've also met people who were full of sh-t & not anything like they said they were or even looked liked the pics they were using. I am so glad I am not looking for a relationship. It was far easier years ago to meet a guy. I worry each time my friend finds another guy. Now we make a point of having her meet the guy with some of our friends or us in a public place. Even then you have to wonder.

[El Gato]

Freedom of the Press is just like the Right To Keep and Bear Arms, it's all about "no prior restraint". In the case of "the press", it's no prior restraint on publication. It's not about being totally free from the consequences of abuse of the right/freedom. Thus "the press" does not have immunity from charges of libel, nor do bank robbers and "drive by" shooters have immunity from charges of murder or assault.

Similarly while Freedom of Speech does not mean that one can shout fire in a crowded theater, when there is no fire, it does mean that they can't tape your mouth shut before you enter the theater because you might falsely shout "Fire". (And of course if they did, it would mean you couldn't warm people of a real fire... similar to restraints on keeping and bearing arms)

[TigersEye]

Perhaps by joining FR one becomes an “Official Journalist” We could receive a special card saying “Journalist.”

The NRA sent me a card that says "Press Pass" on it. They were suggesting that NRA members go to town hall meetings and politician's offices etc. to ask questions.

In the Founder's days a printing press wasn't a particularly expensive piece of machinery and a makeshift press could easily be made. If you print leaflets and post them around town or stand on a corner passing them out you are a "publisher."

There is no indication in the Constitution that there are any special requirements or restrictions on publishing. Having an inkjet printer or your own blog is really not substantially different than owning a one-page press and hiring kids to distribute leaflets. It is an individual liberty like all basic human rights.