Legislator Proposes Law Banning Anonymous Web Posting

Kentucky lawmaker Tim Couch has proposed a bill that would make anonymous Internet posting illegal. House Bill 775 would require anyone who wants to post a comment or other content on a Web site to register their real name, address, and e-mail address with the Web site.

The onus is placed on the website operators, however. According to the bill, website operators (or interactive service providers as the bill calls them) could face stiff fines.

An interactive service provider that violates any of the provisions of Section 2 of this Act shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for the first offense and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each subsequent offense.

Although the bill was indeed filed in the Kentucky House of Representatives, Couch doesn't intend to pursue passage. Much as with Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers' lawsuit against God, it was all about bringing an issue to the fore.

"Some nasty things have been said about high school kids in my district, usually by other kids," Couch said. "The adults get in on it, too. When you're anonymous, you can say anything you want to about someone, and nobody knows who you are."

Of course, this law, even if it were constitutional, would be totally unenforceable. That would be obvious to anyone who thinks about it for even a short time.

Still, I have to admit he had good intentions (think about Megan Meier for a second before totally panning his attempt). While most will likely ridicule his bill - and perhaps even him - at the very least, it will get people talking.