The Internet

Today, a friend of my sent me an email about free speech on the internet. Although I usually delete his forwards, I decided to check it out to check out what our government is doing now. This is the first sentence that i saw: "Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity."

Annoying emails? With all of the problems that are happening via the internet Bush is going to sign for a law that prohibits sending spam unless you identify yourself???? Do I really care who is sending me spam? Not really! I care about child pornography. I care about the fact that if someone wants, they could easily find my information on the internet. I'm talking everything from my address, my phone number (even if it is privately listed), my driver's plates, my next of kin...ANYTHING! How about protecting Americans from that?!?!?!??! I was watching Montel one day (yes, I know but I only watch him once a year) and these parents were talking about how this guy decided that he was going to stalk their daughter. He had never met this girl. NEVER. Yet he was able to find her address and her driver license plates. He even started a blog online talking about his stalking ventures. Are you kidding me?! He then drove up next to her car one day, shot her and then killed himself. All of this, from the internet. He didn't even live in the same city as her. He traveled to find her.

I remember one day this kid who I was friends with decided to look for my information. He called me one day and said, "I now know where you work, your work phone number, and your work address." He was happy about this, I wasn't. I'll even admit that I was a bit spooked out. So every now and then I google myself...lol. It's true, I need to know what is said about me and what information is on the net. I then realized that there are websites where people would find information for you if you give them some money. Now these people don't know if you are asking for this information because you love them and you wish to reunite with them. They don't even ask!

So let's talk about that. Not, "if you send an annoying web message you must put your full name." Oh my goodness! How long are we going to waste our time? There should be laws passed to protect children and anyone else who uses the internet. That's all I ask. How about that Bushy?!

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