The Department of Forum Security

The Assemblyman representing my hometown has introduced a bill that would require operators of online forums to register their users. You can read it and weep here.

"This bill would require an operator of any interactive computer service or an Internet service provider to establish, maintain and enforce a policy requiring an information content provider who posts messages on a public forum Web site either to be identified by legal name and address or to register a legal name and address with the operator or provider prior to posting messages on a public forum Web site.

"The bill requires an operator of an interactive computer service or an Internet service provider to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to enable any person to request and obtain disclosure of the legal name and address of an information content provider who posts false or defamatory information about the person on a public forum Web site.

"In addition, the bill makes any operator or Internet service provider liable for compensatory and punitive damages as well as costs of a lawsuit filed by a person damaged by the posting of such messages if the operator or Internet service provider fails to establish, maintain and enforce the policy required by section 2 of the bill."

In his introduction to the third edition of Common Sense, Thomas Paine - writing anonymously - said: "Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary to the Public, as the Object for Attention is the DOCTRINE ITSELF, not the MAN."

Mr. Biondi's little Department of Forum Security would have enabled King George III to round up Mr. Paine and bring him to "justice." There are many good reasons to protect one's identity, and for every pinhead who puts up false and defamatory stuff, there are 10,000 people who just want to make a point. That Mr. Biondi is a Republican is further proof that neither of the ruling parties has any interest in protecting the rights of their subjects.