Save a Chatlog... Go to Prison? 486
Alien54 writes "You are engaged in a chat session with some friends and colleagues, when one of them makes a witty remark or imparts a pithy bit of information. You hit CTRL-A and select the conversation, then copy it to a document that you save. Under a little-noticed decision in a New Hampshire Superior Court in late February, these actions may just land you in jail. New Hampshire is "two-party consent state" -- one of those jurisdictions that requires all parties to a conversation to consent before the conversation can be intercepted or recorded. The decision is the first of its kind to apply that standard to online chats, and the ruling is clearly supported by the text of the law. But it marks a blow to an investigative technique that has been routinely used by law enforcement, employers, ISPs and others, who often use video tape or othermeans to track criminals in chat rooms. This also has troublesome implications [for employers] monitoring of email and other forms of electronic communications."
Thus the creation of a new chat acronym : (Score:5, Funny)
I definitely have to stop chatting (Score:2, Funny)
If you're in New Hampshire... (Score:4, Funny)
uh oh (Score:4, Funny)
Inefficient (Score:5, Funny)
Oh no! Slashdot Paradox! (Score:4, Funny)
Only certain thing is that Bush will be blamed for it either way...
On the bright side... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This is Science? (Score:2, Funny)
Well, I am PrintError. Pleased to meet you.
Re:Science? (Score:1, Funny)
line printers (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bad News . . . (Score:4, Funny)
CROW: No, you may not!
JOEL: Now Crow, don't forget, the user has rights too.
TOM: Nein! Jauhrtausand hand und garnele! Das userkind - they have no rights in this police state!
JOEL: Tom, that has absolutely no releveance whatsoever.
TOM: But it sure is fun to say it!
Talk about flat... files (Score:4, Funny)
There are few horny women in chat rooms.
There are fewer horny non-male women in channel.
The are even fewer horny non-male under 50 years of age women in channel.
Okay.. that leaves 1 left..
MOM! WTF are you doing online!!!
Re:Not in Texas! (Score:3, Funny)
But one question: Why is this under the Science category and not under Privacy?
Yeah, I think they were aiming for 'Your Rights Online' and missed by about 15 letters (not including whitespace).
Re:Easy... (Score:3, Funny)
When is America going to wake up out of this hypocrisy?
Hopefully not anytime soon!!
I rather enjoy my life of opressing the lower-classes.
Gotta-jet - it's time fout our annual Hlaiburton/Nader meeting - hopefully Nader will be able to pull off another doozy. He's so cheep too.. it's amazing what he'll do for a box of marshmallow peeps.
From the news (Score:4, Funny)
New Hampshire, 2004. Brains are now officially forbidden in New Hampshire, said House spokesman Turner. The recent court decision forbidding recording equipment from capturing chat logs has essentially extended the ban on everything, from pen and paper to modern human brains. "This shouldn't cause too much problem, only a few people still had brains in working order within the state, anyway", said spokesman Turner. "Although you can still possess brains, you are forbidden to use them for recording any kind of information, so complete lobotomy is probably the only option unless you can produce a medical certificate to the effect that your brain is incapable (permanently or temporarily) of recording memories." The main character from Memento was recently seen in the state, and the state governor has announced plans to convert the state into a giant hospital for taking care of alzheimer patients - if he can remember giving the order.
Re:Trillian Pro (Score:3, Funny)