Serious question for all concerned patriots

[Chimpanzee]

Does the constitution cover internet forums? Does the right of free speech and the right of peaceful assembly apply to internet forums?

[Kire]

1. depends who owns the forum

[Kire]

22. if you can pay for your own forum, then yes

but if you want to post just anything on DU, just like in your local Newspaper or Fox News even, the owners have the right to censor you in pretty much any way they want

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Never been tested, AFAIK.

But I bet it does.

[atxryan]

3. Free speech

Free speech is supposed to be covered in any forum you excersize it... public, private, internet... But, I don't see what you're getting at here.

-RYAN

[Chimpanzee]

7. I can't imagine why not!

[november3rd]

4. does the Constitution 1st amendment right apply?

Of course.

[Alizaryn]

5. I don't know if forums could hide under the same roof "private

clubs" to avoid discrimination complaints?

[electropop]

11. I believe the forum owners can control speech any way they like

"Free Speech" is their priviledge. If you run a forum, it's yours.

[IAMREALITY]

6. YES. It would cover any medium of which speech can be channeled through

[godel escher bach]

8. No. For example, the DU rules clearly state...

...that moderators can delete your message for any reason, and that you can be banned for any reason. This means that you can't say whatever you want on this forum, therefore free speech does not apply at this forum.

In fact, DU rules specifically exclude more than half the voters in the United States from even joining DU. How's that for a demonstration of unconstitutionality ?

[Chimpanzee]

9. OK, since theres some confusion here

which is my fault - I was asking because of threads we've had about the potential for BushCo to go after and shutdown 'dissenting' internet sites under whatever pretext they come up with (subversion of the government, etc.). So I was just thinking that we should have a law suit on our hands if they try it. Of course it will eventually end up in the SCOTUS, where all bets are off!

[godel escher bach]

10. Then, yes, the constitution applies n/t

[electropop]

12. this post refers to itself

I know you know what I mean! My favorite book of all time...

[IAMREALITY]

13. LOL LOL SOOOOOOOO SILLY LOL

What a WARPED interpretration of the constitution LOL This is a privately owned site.

:silly:

[Chimpanzee]

14. IAM - look up about 3 posts

[IAMREALITY]

15. Why Chimp?

I don't even think you needed to apologize. The poster totally skewed the use of the first ammendment.

[Chimpanzee]

23. Sorry, my misunderstanding!

[Kellis]

16. funny you would apply this question to DU

Is there something you wanted to say in particular that you think wouldn't go over well here and therefore predict the Mods would delete?

Oh and BTW-welcome to DU.

[musette_sf]

17. I dunno but

I sure get a kick out of getting pinged by DOD computers when logging on to DU! Firewall reports can be SOOOO interesting.

[Stop Shrub]

18. are you serious

cause if the DOD is logging our shit then that is a misappropriation of funds, that in itself should be something we all look into!

[musette_sf]

20. DOD computer in Maryland

Department of the Navy. Three times, three consecutive days, when logging on to DU.

It could be meaningless, but it was worth noticing.

[Stop Shrub]

21. i might go install

zonealarm just to see if they are doing it to me. We are probably being watched a lot more then we imagined..

[musette_sf]

30. good for you and chin up

I lived through the Nixon Enemies List, and I will live through this too.

[blitzburgh55]

19. The Patriot Act

"The provision we challenged ," says Jaffer, "allows the FBI to issue NSLs against 'wire or electronic service communication providers.' Telephone companies and Internet service providers " As Judge Marrero noted, the FBI could also use an NSL "to discern the identity of someone whose anonymous web log, or 'blog,' is critical of the Government."

Jaffer adds that by requiring information from telephone companies and Internet providers, "The FBI could . . . effectively obtain a political organization's membership list, like the NAACP or the ACLU, obtain the names of people with whom a journalist has communicated over the Internet."

http://www.itaffectsyou.org/blog/index.php?p=37



Soon we'll have no rights. Let the SOBs come get me. Hey Chimp....shove it up your ass.

[Chimpanzee]

24. Shove what up my ass? Does it feel good? You do it first...

[blitzburgh55]

26. Not you Chimpanzee

I was talking to the Chimp in the DC Zoo, you know the one occupying the WH.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :toast:

[Chimpanzee]

27. Oh shit! Sorry - I actually popped an alert on yer ass.

Too bad they don't have a de-alert. I thought you were talking about me. Apology excepted and I hope you accept mine too. I should probably change my name to avoid confusion but the amnesty period is over and I don't want to lose my hard earned posts!

[AntiFascist]

25. At any rate...

that is why it's bad to try and organize any sort of "civil disruption" or demonstration via the internet.

Idea: what about using offshore websites if they begin to crack down in the US? If they try to block access, could certain tunneling technologies be used to get through? What about satellite internet access?

On edit, whoopsie: of course I would never recommend using offshore websites via tunneling to organize "civil disruptions" or demonstrations.

[Chimpanzee]

28. Please ignore the alert on blitzburgh55 - it was a misunderstanding

[mattclearing]

29. Yes, for now. All the same rules apply, but owners and ISP's can overrule

eom