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  1. #1

    Default Cyber-Harassment

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Oregon and/or Florida

    A little over a week ago, I got into a heated spat with another user (henceforth known as "Other User"), lost my cool and said "the next time you put your life on the line, I hope somebody takes it." Other User responded with "by the way, you just threatened me so I'm calling the police, lol." I told them good luck with that because I can't fathom calling the authorities over a hyperbole in an internet argument. Other User responds that the deputy told them that what I said is "technically covered under protected speech" though he "suspects that I could be charged with cyberharassment", and that Other User should call the Civil and Code Enforcement Department.

    I basically want to know if this is really as dumb as I think.

    A few details:

    1) Other user and I live on opposite coasts (Oregon and Florida, respectively). We are both over 18. The argument occurred in the comments section of one of Other User's blog posts (comment notifications are sent via e-mail, though Other User may disable them for individual posts).

    2) I explicitly retracted the "threatening" comment as hyperbole, and even apologized for it.

    3) Other User never once requested that I stop commenting, or even tried to terminate contact in any way. In fact, when I left my own final comment that I was going to leave Other User alone (which I have done and will continue to do), Other User replied with a comment trying to continue the original argument (which I have not replied to and refuse to do so).

    4) Other User said the deputy told them he "suspected" I could be charged with harassment, despite stating that the original "threatening" comment is protected speech. This makes no legal sense, and I can't imagine a cop saying that.

    5) To my knowledge, Civil and Code Enforcement deals with property maintenance and citations and permits and stuff, not harassment as that's criminal code. Why would law enforcement send Other User to a department that can't do jack about the problem? I almost wonder if Other User was just blowing smoke and pretended to call the police in order to scare me off (if so, it worked!).

    I'm definitely going to be more careful what I say online, obviously. I just wanna know, does this have any chance of being a full blown call-a-lawyer problem, or is Other User both talking smack and being a moron and I'm just worried about nothing?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Cyber-Harassment

    You want to know if what is as dumb as you think? Getting so worked up about an online argument that you wish somebody dead? Yeah, it's as dumb as you think.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    16,307

    Default Re: Cyber-Harassment

    I just wanna know, does this have any chance of being a full blown call-a-lawyer problem, or is Other User both talking smack and being a moron and I'm just worried about nothing?
    You're both being ridiculous - him for lying about a "deputy", you for buying it and over-thinking it, and both of you for being jerks to each other on the internet.

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