Jail Time for Misleading Domain Names

Bootsy Collins writes "The Miami Herald is running a story on the first-ever prison sentencing (and, for that matter, prosecution and conviction) under the Federal Truth in Domain Names Act. This act, combined into the larger Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act (PROTECT) of 2003, made it a violation of U.S. Federal law to use a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive someone into viewing obscene material -- larger penalties if attempting to so mislead minors, but up to two years even if adults are the object. In the case in question, a man was convicted for registering thousands of domain names which were close misspellings of popular web sites for kids. Attempting to surf to those sites would redirect to a site entitled 'Dorm Sex Party.' Before being arrested, the convicted typosquatter made about a million dollars for the referrals." He's been on Slashdot before.

Comments

Re:The REAL truth about sending people to prison :

[Dunkirk]

I am fully aware of the old adage likening the discussion of religion on the internet to running a race in the Special Olympics, but I feel a duty to clarify this point. Christians are very much obligated to live by the morals of the Old Testament. However, the act of propitiation (look it up) accomplished by Christ's crucifiction had provided us with a "dispensation" of grace. Meaning: now we are living in a time of delayed punishment. Jesus didn't say that "the Law and the Prophets" were over. If anything, He underscored that, because of the amount of grace under which would we would be living after His death, we would be held to an even higher standard than before. For instance, witness His comment to the effect that just looking upon a woman to lust after her is equivalent to committing adultery. Many people seem to have the opinion that God doesn't care about the things He used to care about because of Christ's sacrifice. This is not true at all. Rather, He has declared a "new deal." The Jewish theocracy-by-birthright has given way so that each of us could enter the "Holy of Holies" ourselves in the form of being filled with the Holy Ghost and being able to speak with God directly. Along with this "new testament" comes a more direct responsibility to hold yourself to the ideals of holiness. So, no more stonings at the edge of town, but God expects each of us to live His teachings on our own, enjoying the benefits thereof (c.f. the "fruit of the Spirit), and giving us a "space of grace" in case we blow it.