Senator Blumenthal Happy That SESTA Will Kill Small Internet Companies

from the this-is-a-problem dept

So, earlier today the Senate Commerce Committee held a two and a half hour hearing about SESTA -- the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017. The panelists were evenly split, with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Yiota Souras from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children being in support of the bill, and Professor Eric Goldman and Abigail Slater from the Internet Association worrying about the impacts of SESTA (notably, both highlighted that they're not against all changes to CDA 230, they just want to be quite careful and are worried about the language in this bill). I was actually somewhat surprised that the hearing wasn't as bad as it could have been. There certainly was some grandstanding, and some insistence that because SESTA says it will go after sex trafficking, it obviously will -- but many Senators did seem willing to listen to concerns about the bill and how it's written. Much attention was paid to the sketchy "knowledge" standard in the bill, which we wrote about this morning. And that's good -- but there was a fair bit of nonsense spewed as well.

Perhaps the most problematic comments were from the bill's co-author, Senator Richard Blumenthal, who has been attacking CDA 230 since his time as Connecticut's Attorney General. While you can watch the entire hearing, I created a short clip of Blumenthal's questions (which, oddly, C-SPAN won't let me embed here) so I'll transcribe it:

Blumenthal: I think I've said why I support this legislation, which I helped craft, and we've tried to do it carefully. And we tried to listen to the industry. We've tried to listen really closely to some of the concerns that have been raised this morning by Mr. Goldman. For example, the idea that this legislation will cause sex trafficking to -- I'm using your word -- proliferate. Hard to believe. Mr. Becerra, what do you think and will this measure cause sex trafficking to proliferate?

So... the idea that Blumenthal listened carefully is laughable on its face. He's been fighting this issue since at least 2010 when he went after Craigslist for ads he didn't think they should have on the site. And in Blumenthal's own testimony he admitted that forcing Craigslist to change how it worked only led to sex trafficking ads moving from Craigslist -- which cooperated very closely with law enforcement -- to Backpage and expanded their reach. I'm at a loss as to why we should take Blumenthal's word on what will happen when he admits his own actions targeted at sex trafficking in the past made the problem worse. To then mock Prof. Goldman for suggesting the same might happen here is... quite incredible.

Also, interesting that rather than asking Goldman to clarify his position first (he does later), Blumenthal starts by asking Becerra to back him up.

Becerra: I can't agree with what Professor Goldman has said. I think it's just the opposite. If we have a standard in place, then I believe the stakeholders within the internet community will come forward in ways we've seen before, but even more vigoroulsy, because they'll understand what the standard is, and I think that's so very important to make it clear for folks. The most important thing, Senator Booker sorta pointed this out, is we need to get the opponents of this measure to explain, in detail, what they would propose in place. Otherwise, it's always a moving target. It's Whac-a-mole. Someone needs to give us what a better bill looks like.

So, this is also bizarre and wrong. First, much of the discussion from Goldman and Slater (and us) was about the lack of any clarity around the "standard." The bill says that "knowing conduct" that "assists, supports or facilitates" sex trafficking can make a platform guilty of civil and criminal violations of the law. But "knowing conduct" is not clarified. And as we've seen in other contexts, including in the copyright realm, years-long fights can happen in court over what "knowledge" might mean. The famous YouTube/Viacom fight, that went on for nearly a decade, was almost entirely focused on whether or not YouTube had knowledge of infringement, and whether the law required "specific" knowledge or "general" knowledge. Nothing in this bill clarifies that.

Even worse, the term "knowing conduct" is dangerously vague. It could be read to mean that if the site does something that it knows that it is doing, and it leads to facilitating sex trafficking -- even if the site doesn't know about that outcome -- it would constitute "knowing conduct." Goldman had pointed this exact problem out earlier in the hearing, so for Becerra to insist that this is a clear standard is ludicrous.

Becerra is also confused if he thinks this will lead internet companies to "more vigorously" come forward. Coming forward with evidence of sex trafficking will then be turned around on them as proof of "knowledge." With this law in place, why would any internet company be more willing to come forward when that only increases liability?

Finally, the idea that opponents need to come forward with other language is similarly weird. SESTA's supporters are the ones demanding a massive change in the underpinning of the internet. Shouldn't the burden be on them to prove that this will help and not hurt? And, on top of that, it also ignores the fact that many opponents have come forward with different language (which I know as a fact because someone ran some alternative language by me a few weeks ago, and again earlier this week). So either Becerra doesn't know that or he's being disingenuous.

I'll cut the next section where Blumenthal says (misleadingly) that a proposal put forth from tech companies was to curtail or "eliminate" the ability of State AGs to pursue violations of the law (the proposal I saw simply clarified when and how they could go after sites) and Becerra eagerly says that would be terrible, as you'd expect.

Blumenthal: Let me ask, Mr. Goldman, do you really believe that this law would cause sex trafficking to proliferate?

Goldman: Thank you, Senator, for the opportunity to clarify that. Indeed, my concern is that we already see a number of efforts on the part of legitimate players to reduce sex trafficking promotion. To the extent that any of those companies decide 'I am better off turning off my efforts across the board, to try to reduce the knowledge that I have,' then that creates a larger number of zones that the sites will not be taking the legitimate effort that we want them to take. It creates an environment where there's more places for that to occur.

This is an excellent and succinct explanation of the problem. Under SESTA, the "knowledge" standard is so vague and unclear, that actually doing what Congress wants -- policing sex trafficking -- creates "knowledge" and makes these companies liable under the law. Blumenthal, of course, doesn't seem to get it -- or doesn't care.

Blumenthal: You know, I have a higher opinion of the industry than you do. I really believe that this law will raise the bar, will increase consciousness, and that far from trying to evade, or, in fact, deny themselves knowledge, so as to avoid any accountability, they will be more energetic. I absolutely really believe that most of these companies want to do the right thing and that this law will give them an increased impetus and incentive to do so.

WHAT?!? First off, if the idea is to give companies a greater impetus and incentive to do what they already want to do (as Blumenthal claims...) then threatening them with criminal and civil penalties for simply "knowing" that their platforms are used for illegal activity seems like a totally fucked up way of doing so. If you want to encourage platforms to do the right thing, then why is the entire bill focused on punishing platforms for merely knowing that their platform was illegally used? Second, if Blumenthal truly had a higher opinion of tech companies, why is he misrepresenting what Goldman said, and saying that companies would choose to avoid knowledge to "avoid accountability"? That's not the issue at all -- and is, indeed, self-contradictory with Blumenthal's own statements. Companies want to do the right thing to reduce sex trafficking, but this bill puts them in legal jeopardy for even researching if their platforms are used that way. That's the point that Goldman was trying to make and Blumenthal totally misrepresents.

And then it gets worse. Goldman points out a separate issue, noting that big companies like Google and Facebook may have the resources to "do more" but startups without those resources won't be able to take the steps necessary to avoid liability under the law:

Goldman: There's no doubt that the legitimate players will do everything they can to not only work with the law enforcement and other advocates to address sex trafficking and will do more than they even do today. At the same time, the industry is not just the big players. There is a large number of smaller players who don't have the same kind of infrastructure. And for them they have to make the choice: can I afford to do the work that you're hoping they will do.

Okay, and here's where things get absolutely fucked up. Note what Goldman is clearly saying here: this bill will wreak havoc on startups who simply can't afford to monitor everything that people do on their platforms. And then, Blumenthal's response is to say that those startups are criminals who should be prosecuted:

Blumenthal: And I believe that those outliers -- and they are outliers -- will be successfully prosecuted, civilly and criminally under this law.

WHAT THE FUCK?!? Goldman was talking about tons and tons of smaller companies -- or anyone who operates any online service that enables user comments, where they can't monitor everything -- and under this law will have to make the choice of whether they do any monitoring at all or face the risk of that being used against them, and Blumenthal's response is that they should be prosecuted.

Senator Blumenthal: those companies are not outliers and they're not criminals. They're thousands upon thousands of smaller internet companies, many based in your home state of Connecticut, that you apparently want to see shut down.

That's messed up.

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Filed Under: cda 230, eric goldman, richard blumenthal, sesta, startups


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  • identicon
    spikerman87, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:03pm

    We're screwed

    The internet is screwed isn't it?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
      identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:28pm

      Re: We're screwed

      yes, because we help screw it by voting in these fuckwads.

      "You get the politicians you deserve"

      ~Barack Obama

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:06pm

        Re: Re: We're screwed

        Victims get the beatdown they deserve.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:43pm

          Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

          whatever cheap trick.

          Stop acting like the voters are the victims here... they are not. If you can be repeatedly suckered by these folks you get what you deserve!

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2017 @ 7:45am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

            Do you get bored regurgitating the same old barf all the time everywhere you go?

            Do you seem to be in a rut, feeling obliged to spew bullshit on a daily basis?

            You should ask you doctor about OCD

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:58pm

      Re: We're screwed

      There's still the possibility to set up something more decentralized, so that no single person/company would have the authority (or responsibility) to censor it. If I write a blog post, it shouldn't be up to me to host comments or hire a third-party service to do it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        identicon
        Josh Taylor, 19 Sep 2017 @ 4:31pm

        Re: Re: We're screwed

        Why? So you like to fap to naked children?

        Sorry but this legislation will keep children safe on the internet and I'm putting my support into it.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          TripMN, 19 Sep 2017 @ 4:58pm

          Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

          How?

          It's a simple question. There is tons of logic and reasoning above about how it does damage, how do you see it making the children safer?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          orbitalinsertion (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 4:59pm

          Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

          No it won't.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          JMT (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:10pm

          Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

          Obvious troll is obvious.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          That One Guy (profile), 20 Sep 2017 @ 3:05am

          Well if that's all it takes...

          I've got an amazing piece of legislation I'd like to pitch to you. It will stop murder entirely[1], end world hunger[2], and prevent the sun from going super-nova[3].

          Unless you want murder, people starving, and the world to be consumed in a ball of fire, then clearly you need to support this legislation. Don't worry about what's in it, and certainly don't pay any attention to those buffoons talking about 'collateral damage', they are merely murder fanatics that want people to die and starve and burn up, and you don't want to be one of those kinds of people, do you?

          [1] By defining murder in such a way that only deaths taking place in the rings of saturn count.

          [2] I like to call this section, 'A modest proposal'.

          [3] Effective for at least a few million, maybe even a few billion years.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2017 @ 7:47am

          Re: Re: Re: We're screwed

          You are one sick individual

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:06pm

    Google has big resources, indeed!

    Why Is Google Hiring 1,000 Journalists To Flood Newsrooms Around America?

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-18/why-google-hiring-1000-journalists-flood-newsrooms- around-america

    (Also because it's already got enough bloggers on payroll!)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:07pm

      Re: Google has big resources, indeed!

      Show us on the doll where Mike touched you.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Stephen T. Stone (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:18pm

      Re: Google has big resources, indeed!

      What relevance does this have to the article at hand?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:46pm

      Re: Google has big resources, indeed!

      (article about literally protecting hundreds if not thousands of small internet companies that don't have the resources of Google behind them)

      "HERP DERP GOOGLE SHILL!"

      What the actual fuck dude? If anyone is a shill here it's you.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:14pm

    CISPA was child's play

    This is going to destroy the internet as we know it and it's wrapped up in "won't somebody puh-leeeeease think of the children". While fast/slow lanes are garbage and I'm glad it (for now, and only mostly) is fading, I am legitimately frightened for how this is going to shake things up.

    This is the worst thing that could possibly happen, and now speaking against it is tantamount to protecting pedophilia to these people.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Stephen T. Stone (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:23pm

      Re: CISPA was child's play

      They have so much of this bill wrapped up in “protecting children” language that when it passes into law and it does nothing to help children and all of their arguments that it would are laid bare in front of them—impossible to run from or discredit, as hard as they would try—they will have no believable rebuttal. They will also offer no apology for supporting this legislation—only a Sean Spicer-esque “I regret supporting this” non-apology meant to evoke pity.

      I will feel no pity for these men if this bill passes into law and does the opposite of what they say it will. That pity is reserved for the companies that this bill will run out of business.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        mhajicek (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:06pm

        Re: Re: CISPA was child's play

        They will only double down, claiming that it didn't work because it didn't go far enough, and propose even harsher legislation with the same justifications.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          That One Guy (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:21pm

          Re: Re: Re: CISPA was child's play

          Of course, because to do otherwise would be to admit that all those people telling them that they were not only wrong but wrong in a way that will cause significant damage were right, and they were wrong.

          Since a politician is never wrong clearly it would be the fault of the companies for not doing enough, not trying or caring enough.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:27pm

    Shocker!!

    "Senator Blumenthal Happy That SESTA Will Kill Small Internet Companies"


    look an Honest Democrat! Keep supporting those regulations folks. they will only be used against you. you guys go like moths to the flame!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:31pm

      Re: Shocker!!

      More paint for the paint eaters! More lead for the lead throne!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Ryunosuke (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:05pm

        Re: Re: Shocker!!

        More blood for the blood god, more skulls for the skull god!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:40pm

          Re: Re: Re: Shocker!!

          More forks for the electrical socket god! More Mentos for the Coke god!

          Wait, why are we saying this shit?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:44pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Shocker!!

            more more more baby...

            what else were you asking for?

            link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      JMT (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:13pm

      Re: Shocker!!

      "Keep supporting those regulations folks. they will only be used against you."

      You mean the same way food safety regulations (to pick just one example) are used against you in your quest to be sick or dead? Damn those regulations...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        OGquaker, 19 Sep 2017 @ 9:15pm

        Re: Re: The Jungle

        Clinton got rid of federal meat inspectors in favor of statistical samples (computer printouts) conducted by the meat cos.... BASED ON two or three fast-food deaths! (over a dozen people drowned last year harvesting abalone off the California coast) Instead of old inspectors calling on years of experience with the inspector's paycheck from tax dollars.
        'Nutrition Facts' now printed on OUR food are supposedly 'voluntary' but virtually eliminate local sources of food; 60% of Arizona's food supply comes from a single warehouse in Compton, CA, and Arizona grows the stuff. Safety? From a Public Health standpoint, universally introducing a product effectively eliminates gauging it's effect on the population.
        Want to see food production for yourself? Sorry, that's a felony in many states now.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Cdaragorn (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:30pm

    Google is the outlier

    *Blumenthal: And I believe that those outliers -- and they are outliers*

    I can't get over this line. So the bulk of your dataset are the outliers??? And these two points that are WAY outside the norm ARE the norm?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    kallethen, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:32pm

    Looking ahead, assuming the bill is passed... What are the chances of it being challenged on constitutionality?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:58pm

      Re:

      Know of any other laws on the books breaking the constitution without much challenge? to many to count

      Good luck with that, I don't think they give a fucking shit about the constitution.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Thad, 19 Sep 2017 @ 5:28pm

      Re:

      I'd say somewhere around 100%.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    aerinai (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:37pm

    Greenhouse Blumenthal

    According to the Greenhouse extension, Mr. Blumenthal's highest contributors are Lawyers and Law firms... of course he wants this legislation. He's being paid to yell 'for the children' as loud as he can. He smells blood in the water.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Matthew Cline (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 12:46pm

    I think you're misinterpreting him

    And then, Blumenthal's response is to say that those startups are criminals who should be prosecuted:

    I think what he meant was "all of those startups (no matter how small) do have the infrastructure to do the monitoring required by the bill, and only a few outliers will choose to forgo the monitoring that they're all definitely capable of doing". Which is stupid, but not nearly as stupid as your interpretation.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:00pm

      Re: I think you're misinterpreting him

      "Which is stupid, but not nearly as stupid as your interpretation."

      does it really matter? The end result is the same toolbag!

      If someone points a gun at your head, are you going to relax if they tell you, this won't hurt a bit? It does not matter how they said it, or what they said... their actions are what you judge!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Stephen T. Stone (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:51pm

        Re: Re: I think you're misinterpreting him

        Pretty sure you won’t be doing any judging if they pull the trigger.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:03pm

    Blumenthal and Vietnam

    You cannot mention Senator Blumenthal without mentioning that he served (safely) stateside during the Vietnam war (rich powerful relations) and then several times while running for the Senate that he served in Vietnam during the war.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    McGyver (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:12pm

    So when Blumenthal went after Craigslist and foreseeable drove off the bad guys to somewhere much harder for law enforcement to keep tabs on them, which ended up making the situation worse, didn't he in fact knowingly participate in a venture that facilitated the commission of this sort of crime?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ninja (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:20pm

    The guy has got the "IT'S A CRIME!" hammer in his hands and he is not afraid to use it. He's a lost cause, what we need is to get the senators that aren't deaf to the matter to see the many issues and just isolate Blumenthal. Though job, it's not like you can rally people up like the SOPA thing because many will see the bill as something good just because its stated purpose is to prevent sex trafficking... Though job.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ryunosuke (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:30pm

    so.. uhh does discussing how we are going to need a tube of lube and bending over for the govt count as sex trafficking? Does this discussion fall under SESTA?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:31pm

    Where does the logic come from?

    Legislator: This is my bill to stop evil people.

    Analyst: This doesn't stop evil people at all. It simply wrecks a chunk of the economy.

    Legislator: Evil people use that chunk.

    Analyst: Way, way more good people use that chunk. And they'll suffer badly without that chunk. Also it won't stop the evil people from finding another chunk.

    Legislator: Well, this is my bill to stop evil people. Until you write a better bill to stop evil people, I'm going to put my support behind this one.

    Where do we get the idea that passing a bad law is better than passing no law? These are the motions of a drowning man climbing on and dunking nearby swimmers in desperation.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      E. Zachary Knight (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:01pm

      Re: Where does the logic come from?

      As a society, we have determined that quantity is better than quality when it comes to passing laws. If Congress were to pass 10 fewer laws this year than they did last year, we determine that they have failed to do their jobs.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:47pm

        Re: Re: Where does the logic come from?

        Yep, part of the ole, but we just can't do nothing... even if that something is worse than doing nothing... we just can't do nothing!

        "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;"

        ~Declaration of Independence

        America has already fallen, because its citizens have shunned its legacy and wisdom while embracing all of its vices!

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:06pm

      Re: Where does the logic come from?

      The nature of politicians is such that they cannot help but to pass laws to solve any problem brought to their attention.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:17pm

      "Something MUST be done. I must be SEEN doing SOMETHING!"

      It comes from the logic of not giving a damn about the actual problem, and only caring about looking like you're doing something about it.

      It comes from the logic of 'Sure there might be collateral damage, but I'm not going to face any of it so what do I care?'

      It comes from the logic of having wanted to kill a particular law for years and seeing a perfect opportunity to do it now where you can paint anyone who tries to argue against you as supporting child exploitation.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      orbitalinsertion (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 5:12pm

      Re: Where does the logic come from?

      That is exactly how we do a lot of things. It's the "I have to do _something_!" attitude. Completely ignoring the 500 other ways already available to do something, some of them actually helpful or constructive. This behavior is then co-opted by those who really want to have the power to do something about something else entirely, going along for the ride in hopes of getting the extra power and tools.

      For some, it is desperation. Or a sense of taking power over something wrong. For others it is a coldly calculated manipulation. Both believers and non-believers are equally stupid at some scale.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:52pm

    Blumenthal is

    part of the "Swamp".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    aerinai (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 1:53pm

    Does email count?

    I think someone should send Mr. Blumenthal a letter saying they are a sex trafficker and solicit him to use their services. Then immediately in the same letter demand that he prosecute the email provider (federal government if you use his .gov email) for providing the ability to solicit him. Since you, the sex trafficker, have made them aware (in the same email no less), he needs to immediately prosecute all IT staffers for allowing said email to go through and not be caught by their filter.

    I didn't see in the verbiage of SESTA that says that you get a pass out of incompetence or a grace period after which they are made aware. You are immediately liable for criminal charges the minute you 'know'. So follow up with a second email just to be on the safe side!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:10pm

    Everything Blumenthal says makes more sense when you think of him holding onto his suspenders and faking a southern accent.

    Or just as him being Foghorn Leghorn like the cock he is.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Congress e-mail, 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:15pm

    Next up... Targeting government

    Step 1:
    So once this thing passes, everyone needs to start using their senators and congress critter's websites to post "dating" meeting places and times to "get together"....

    Step 2:
    Sue the relevant parties (those sponsoring, not opposing this bill) for civil and criminal charges related to "dating" trafficking.

    Step 3:
    Muahahahahahahahahaha laugh as they are hoisted on their own petard.

    Sigh, if only the laws they write could actually be applied to them they might think twice about some of the stupid crap they try to get away with (and not just about the suitcases of cash they are getting away with).

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 19 Sep 2017 @ 2:51pm

    I'm puzzled here. Seems to me that if a storefront puts up a big sign saying "Buy illegal drugs here", the appropriate response is to bust everybody inside for criminal stupidity--with a generous expression of gratitude for the folk who made finding the criminals so easy.

    Apparently the good senator would prefer to pass new laws forbidding signpainters to include the letters "D", "R", and "G" on the same panel, because that ... enables sales of drugs.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      MyNameHere (profile), 21 Sep 2017 @ 8:47am

      Re:

      Except, of course, the American legal system has been twisted and maimed by years of judgement that hamper police operations. So as an example, that sign in the store window would be meaningless without actual drugs purchased. They could just say the sign is a joke, a come on for selling snacks, what have you.

      Even if drugs are sold, the legal system would generally limit legal responsibility to the single person who sold the drugs until a proper conspiracy is a proven, which would take months. In the mean time, plenty of drugs are sold.

      The good senator would like companies which provide adverting and promotion space to be at least slightly responsible for the people they choose to do business with and the types of businesses they promote. He didn't say anything about sign painters - he basically talks about the internet equivalent of billboard ads or TV / Radio ads.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    freedomfan (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 5:05pm

    Blumenthal:

    Someone needs to give us what a better bill looks like.

    So, someone needs to give Blumenthal a blowjob before he can understand that someone else is kicking him in the nuts. Bonehead.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      mhajicek (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 5:32pm

      Re:

      No, someone needs to show him a blank piece of paper.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        That One Guy (profile), 20 Sep 2017 @ 2:57am

        Re: Re:

        When 'doing nothing' would comparatively be more productive at addressing the problem, you know the 'solution' is terrible.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2017 @ 3:07am

          Re: Re: Re:

          A lot of problematic laws are created because politicians do not consider doing nothing as a valid option.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            That One Guy (profile), 20 Sep 2017 @ 4:03am

            A matter of incentives

            'Politician A didn't do anything about X' doesn't make for good positive PR, but it does make for great negative PR that can be used against them.

            It's trivial for someone who wants their position to claim that they would have 'done something', and it would have worked, as unlike the other person they actually care, because words are cheap, and if they do manage to get the spot and 'do something' and it causes problems well clearly someone else bungled up their brilliant idea, and/or they just didn't go far enough.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2017 @ 8:39am

              Re: A matter of incentives

              So we get the perverse effect that the politicians who screw people over with a bad laws can more easily get re-elected.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 19 Sep 2017 @ 6:05pm

    "so as to avoid any accountability"

    You mean like the accountability to the citizens you allegedly represent who have been harmed time & time again by the unintended consequences of rushed stupid laws to "fix" problems?

    This is a stupid law that magically is supposed to solve trafficking at the expense of others.

    You demand that "victims" be allowed to sue BackPage for providing the platform that allowed them to be victimized.
    Please explain why parents who's children were murdered by gun toting bastards are denied that same satisfaction?

    Helping dead kids parents is a better PR blitz, but I guess the gun lobby scares you more than doing the right things you claim need to happen to others.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John E Cressman, 20 Sep 2017 @ 5:45am

    Not Shocking Either

    On the tail of my NY Times columnist who UNSHOCKINGLY didn't get technology details correct, it is SO MUCH less shocking that moronic technomorons who are elected constantly make insanely bad laws because they haven't even the most basic knowledge of all things technological.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again. You get elected, you have to take a technology test. Depending on what sections you fail means you cannot vote on bills falling into those categories. Constituents don't like that? Don't elect technomorons.

    Same thing with Judges. You get appointed to the bench, you take a technology test, a copyright test, a patent test, etc. You fail, you can't rule on any of those cases.

    The test would be updated each year to reflect technology changes and everyone would have to take it each year. Fail, and you don't get to do anything related for another year.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2017 @ 6:04pm

    The issue is knowledge without action. Backpage seems to want a completed criminal prosecution of a subject before taking any action. That is willing blindness or knowledge without action.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2017 @ 9:36am

      Re:

      So in your world accusation = guilt.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        MyNameHere (profile), 21 Sep 2017 @ 8:35pm

        Re: Re:

        I don't have to wait for you to end up in jail before I know that your "girls for an hour at your hotel escort" service is a front for prostitution.

        Put it another way: If you come to me and say "let's rob a bank, I have a gun, and this is the bank" and I decline, I still have knowledge of your intent to rob a bank. I don't have to wait for your to rob the bank to have knowledge of your intent.

        Yes, it can be tricky, but the image Mike is trying to paint (that airBNB would suddenly be liable for a single escort property rental) is ludicrous and laughable overhype.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Uriel-238 (profile), 22 Sep 2017 @ 12:44am

          "girls for an hour at your hotel escort"

          That's what you think trafficking ads look like?

          Maybe you haven't researched the situation enough.

          Let's put it this way, if two professional heisters are talking in semi-public about robbing a bank, only those familiar with the profession are going to comprehend that's what is going on.

          And that excludes most law enforcement.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    gb, 6 Oct 2017 @ 4:22am

    So even the likely next presidential candidate wants to fuck up the internet... great...

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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