Woman Arrested for Facebook 'Poke'

[Kakashi]

Be careful who you "poke." According to the AP, 36-year-old Shannon Jackson of Hendersonville, Tenn. was arrested for poking Dana Hannah, a woman she was accused of stalking, on the social networking site Facebook. Jackson was under court order not to communicate with the woman she allegedly poked.

Just in case you’ve never been poked, the virtual nudge generally acts as a playful hello. ABC News calls it the "digital equivalent of waving at someone from across a crowded room." It’s a harmless, little application, unless of course you happen to have a restraining order and choose to poke the person who filed it.

Many Facebook users would agree that poking is annoying, but this may be the first time it’s been considered criminal. The online contact violates a judge’s order "to refrain from telephoning, contacting or otherwise communicating with [Hannah]." Jackson could face up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine if the judge decides she violated the order.

Hannah took a screen grab of the poke message and brought it to the police. Jackson was arrested shortly after that. Considering how many people now use social networking sites, we may see a rise in attempts to sidestep legal orders via online contact.

Hopefully, this will be a lesson to all Facebook users to quit poking people (not because it’s criminal, but because it’s annoying).

SOURCE

 

[Naph]

Seems fair. He's an idiot to think he'd not end up in court for it.

 

[YROC]

What is this world coming to... ffs...

 

[Au-heppa]

I... I... I have... I have never been poked! /me runs away crying

 

[Dax]

Seems fair. He's an idiot to think he'd not end up in court for it.

Was a woman though, not a man.

 

[Operational]

I don't have a problem with this.

 

[Laivasse]

Sounds fine. It's not criminalising poking, any more than it would be a criminalisation of walking, talking or sending letters if Jackson had been arrested for violating the order in some other way, by approaching or trying to contact Hannah.

 

[CptStern]

why is this newsworthy? the stalker broke the conditions of the court order, she got what she deserved

 

[Hectic Glenn]

My funny uncle poked me once.

I'm glad he did, we hadn't spoken in years. He really is a hilarious guy.

 

[CptStern]

show me on the doll where your uncle poked you

 

[Vegeta897]

why is this newsworthy?

Are you serious, old man?

 

[Acepilotf14]

If it was just a poke, yeah, this would be crazy.

But that's stepping over a court order.

 

[StardogChampion]

why is this newsworthy? the stalker broke the conditions of the court order, she got what she deserved

End of thread.

 

[Musk]

It's not THAT annoying... Sheesh..

 

[swan_song1973]

the poke is such a pointless thing, FB should get rid of it anyways.

 

[PE2]

Isn't it only possible to poke people that you are "friends" with, or is there a setting that allows anyone to do it?

If it's only possible for "friends", then I have no idea what the talker was doing in her friends list.

 

[Naph]

Was a woman though, not a man.

There is no women on the internets.