Tennesse makes it illegal to post "offensive" images online

[CptStern]

The law prohibits the online distribution of any image that might "frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress" to someone who sees it. Which, really, could be virtually anything. Beyond the obvious fecal-scattering, decapitation, and other horrific things that spill forth from the internet cornucopia of perversion, the law is broad enough to affect lots of benign images. A picture of a spooky ghost? That could frighten someone! A photo of your friend's ex? Your friend could send you to jail for it! The fact that an online image of anything that offends anyone is now illegal sounds highly contrary to our 1st Amendment superpowers.

http://gizmodo.com/5810109/tennessee-just-made-offensive-online-pictures-illegal

 

[Stigmata]

Funny, that this very law frightens, intimidates, and causes emotional stress to civilians.

 

[Mogi67]

Could Tennessee be any stupider?

 

[LibDem]

How did they justify passing this law? I mean what kind of reasoning does it take to think of something like this?!

 

[Eejit]

I though yanks had a First Amendment or some shit.

 

[The Monkey]

Gonna need a secondary source on that one.

 

[CptStern]

http://www.mobiledia.com/news/93218.html
http://www.myce.com/news/posting-distressing-images-online-is-now-a-crime-in-tennessee-46461/
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2011/06/haslam-signs-law-restricting-internet.html
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...ting-images-that-cause-emotional-distress.ars

 

[lord_raken]

Once the case (and there will be a case) hits a federal court, it will be shot down. That what the judicial system is for.

 

[Stylo]

Lol, good luck enforcing that law.

 

[YROC]

Goddamnit.

 

[OmegaX]

Sounds like its against the first amendment...also I doubt it will be enforced, law enforcement probably have more important things to do.

 

[GreatEmperor]

Goddamnit.

Hokey your picture of Lisa offends me, you have 15 seconds to comply

 

[Bad^Hat]

Offensive is such a ****ing useless word, especially in the context of law. It could mean anything to anyone, how do you enforce that?

 

[Krynn72]

Offensive is such a ****ing useless word, especially in the context of law. It could mean anything to anyone, how do you enforce that?

By being entirely subjective and only enforcing it on matters which concern the people who pay them.