If you’re a sex offender in Louisiana, you have to identify yourself as such on Facebook, officially. Which is weird, since if you’re a sex offender, you’re not allowed on Facebook at all in the first place. The state’s justification is that they’re, like, way better at running Facebook than Facebook.
“I don’t want to leave in the hands of social network or Facebook administrators, ‘Gee, I hope someone is telling the truth,’” State Rep. Jeff Thompson told CNN Tuesday. “This is another tool for prosecutors.”
This is an attempt on the part of Louisiana’s government to salvage a ridiculous bill that would have banned sex offenders from social media entirely, because, you know, it’s the only way for them to meet victims, and you can totally do that under the law, except not.
It’s not a bad idea, necessarily, although there are problems with how sex offender registries are managed and how they’re designated: in some states, getting caught taking a leak behind a dumpster is enough to qualify you for indecent exposure, and thus suddenly you’re a sex offender. But it’s not like social networks welcome sex offenders with open arms — you can’t join Facebook if you’re a registered sex offender, and we can’t imagine Twitter would be too happy about it either, although there’s no formal rule in their terms of service about it.
In other words, it’s a pointless “tough on crime” law that won’t do anything! Hooray!
(Image via Dirty Coast)
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You don’t understand. Facebook cannot deny services because of a status some government puts on a person. ONLY with a court order can Facebook deny access to its forums.
Why?
Because free speech takes place on Facebook AND it used used as the main vehicle for free speech within the community. Facebook even allows groups to form whose intentions are to organize against those labeled sex offenders.
The State legislature has full control over who gets labeled and who does not. They can and do change the definition of who is a sex offender.
For Facebook to then use such a list because of the assertion that those people are dangerous while legislatures have no such parameters is illegal.
The U.S. is the only country in the world who feels they must bypass the criminal justice system and place LAWS on their books to criminalize even innocent or protected speech upon people that courts have explictely ruled do not have to be dangerous to be on the list.
Well, while the U.S. is throwing people into jail for simply having a Facebook page, and Facebook is using a registry for denying legally protected speech, that registry, as a matter of law does NOT have to be followed.
It is true. Do not think it isn’t.
Rudy, YOU don’t understand.
From [www.facebook.com], item 4, “Registration and Account Security”
6. You will not use Facebook if you are a convicted sex offender.
Last time I checked, Facebook IS NOT A HUMAN RIGHT. Facebook is NOT a forum for free speech, there is no legally-protected speech on Facebook. You are required to agree to their terms to use their service. Facebook is a business (such that it is) and the potential Louisiana law would REQUIRE registered sex offenders to violate Facebook’s terms for use of their service, essentially seizing a portion of Facebook’s service (private property) for Louisiana’s use (public use) without compensation to Facebook for such seizure, in direct violation of the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution.
And I challenge you to identify ONE US citizen thrown (quoting you) “into jail for simply having a Facebook page”.