Penalties for users with fake whois info

New bill passed that will add up to a 7 year penalty

[werty]

I read about this on slashdot [yro.slashdot.org].

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would increase jail time for identity thieves and other fraudulent Web users who register sites under false identities.

The bill, which passed by voice vote, would not directly outlaw the use of fraudulent registration information. Rather, it would increase by up to seven years the prison terms of those convicted of felonies.

Reuters [reuters.com] reported about a new bill (H.R.3632 [thomas.loc.gov]) that the House Of Representatives has passed that would add up to a 7 year penalty to people who were caught doing fraudulent activity on their domains, when they used fake whois information.

The Senate has not passed their version (S.02242 [thomas.loc.gov])

I think the scariest part of this whole thing is what is classified as fraudulent activity. Obviously email scams, credit card scams etc, but I am wondering at what point affiliate sites with "automated link building" will fall into this category.

[paybacksa]

I don't know too much you can do with a domain that doesn't require accountability -- except for speech (which is supposed to be protected).

Argue all you like about terrorism and adlt stuff and bizarre but it is basically speech and expression, even if not the favored political flavor of your local politik.

Merchant accounts etc all need ID. Shipping and receiving is all traceable. Any earned revenue is traceable. Product distribution is traceable.

Information (re speech?) shouldn't need anything more than contact info... and most everyone with anonymous or proxied domains makes sure the contact info works. Your fears have nothing to do with whois.

[isitreal]

Read the text of the thing, boring, tedster is right, at least at this point, with these amendments, this only applies to active copywrite infringement, selling bootlegged material, read it yourself [thomas.loc.gov]

but also keep an eye on the actual text, they like slipping in little sentences here and there before final passage that could suddenly change significantly how the bill works.

However, it really seems to suggest that all that is required is that some part of your contact information can actually be used to contact you, like an email address, this isn't the main part of the bill though.

[cyberprosper]

I used my real address for a number of domains I own. I got hundreds of pieces of junk mail (the real kind)... No friggin' way am I going to have my real address there for 1200 domain names. Moreover, a real phone number? Are you nuts! I would not be able to get mail out of my mailbox...

And, why should I have to spend an extra 10 grand a year to use some anonymous proxy service? That is plain stupidity.

If the law is intended on providing a bit more ammunition against ID thieves, etc, I am all for it. If you are convicted of a felony (no small matter), then it is OK with me to tack on a few more years for other crap. These white-collar offenders get off WAY TO EASY.