A poll was posted -- and since removed -- on the Facebook social networking Web site, asking whether the president of the United States should be killed.
Federal authorities are investigating whether the posting was an attempt to incite violence against President Barack Obama or a sophomoric prank. Voting options were "yes," "no," "maybe" and "if he cuts my healthcare."
Facebook said the question was posed through a third-party application. The company is working with federal investigators to track down who is responsible for the possible threat.
The poll was put up Saturday and removed by Facebook officials Monday. The Christian Science Monitor said several hundred people voted on the poll before it was pulled.
Wonder if they can trace back all the people who voted "yes," "maybe" or "if he cuts my healthcare."
Wow, such a poll is just asking for trouble. Did these people think that a poll on weather a president in power at the moment should die, would not cause any trouble?
Wouldn't it cause trouble for former presidents, too?
But yes, they are pretty retarted if they put up such a poll.
SoS:NBAGALE Force "Destiny and fate are for those too weak to forge their own futures. Where we are 'supposed' to be is irrelevent." - Sir Nitram
"The world owes you nothing but painful lessons" - CaptainChewbacca
"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one." - Wilhelm Stekel
"In 1969 it was easier to send a man to the Moon than to have the public accept a homosexual" - Broomstick Divine Administration - of Gods and Bureaucracy (Worm/Exalted)
Bluewolf wrote:I'd expect with former presidents its a bit less but still serious. I think this poll going for any statesmen would cause a lot of trouble.
It would be trouble for anyone. If I put a "Should Bluewolf be killed" poll on Facebook, I could be liable for some deep shit. The difference is there isn't an entire Federal agency devoted to tracking threats on your life, as opposed to the President.
Any city gets what it admires, will pay for, and, ultimately, deserves…We want and deserve tin-can architecture in a tinhorn culture. And we will probably be judged not by the monuments we build but by those we have destroyed.--Ada Louise Huxtable, "Farewell to Penn Station", New York Times editorial, 30 October 1963 X-Ray Blues
§ 871. Threats against President and successors to the Presidency
How Current is This?
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(b) The terms “President-elect” and “Vice President-elect” as used in this section shall mean such persons as are the apparent successful candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, respectively, as ascertained from the results of the general elections held to determine the electors of President and Vice President in accordance with title 3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2. The phrase “other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President” as used in this section shall mean the person next in the order of succession to act as President in accordance with title 3, United States Code, sections 19 and 20.
Serafina wrote:Wouldn't it cause trouble for former presidents, too?
But yes, they are pretty retarted if they put up such a poll.
On a related topic, since you brought up former presidents:
* How long do former presidents receive Secret Service protection after they leave office?
In 1965, Congress authorized the Secret Service (Public Law 89-186) to protect a former president and his/her spouse during their lifetime, unless they decline protection. In 1997, Congress enacted legislation (Public Law 103-329) that limits Secret Service protection for former presidents to 10 years after leaving office. Under this new law, individuals who are in office before January 1, 1997, will continue to receive Secret Service protection for their lifetime. Individuals elected to office after that time will receive protection for 10 years after leaving office. Therefore, President Clinton will be the last president to receive lifetime protection.
Yona wrote:I would say someone could be in a very deep hole if they follow this to the letter. Not their smartest decision.
I wonder if it isn't too hard for the Service to actually go into the logs or files or whatever that may be connected with a 3rd-party Facebook poll. It won't surprise me if it is possible to trace back, to some degree, and see who posted it originally. Assuming FB hasn't already done this and passed on the information.
Yona wrote:I would say someone could be in a very deep hole if they follow this to the letter. Not their smartest decision.
I wonder if it isn't too hard for the Service to actually go into the logs or files or whatever that may be connected with a 3rd-party Facebook poll. It won't surprise me if it is possible to trace back, to some degree, and see who posted it originally. Assuming FB hasn't already done this and passed on the information.
Every post, poll, whatever, on any BBs has id tags to the originator. There is no such thing as total anonymity. You can hide IP addresses, and other things like browser headers, etc. But to participate in FaceBook and most "on the up" social sites and BBS's like this one, you must give a valid address at an ISP. Not Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. FaceBook by it's nature collects a great deal of information on it's participants.
I doubt they would even need a court order to get FaceBook to cooperate, although they would probably get one to cover the legalities.
It would then be just a matter of getting the ISP to provide customer information. A "no brainer" thanks to "Patriotic" legislation passed a few years ago.
Knock, Knock !
The "Stupid Gene" is alive and well ! It resides in many forms, mostly in the "new" crop of Republicans !
Yona wrote:
Every post, poll, whatever, on any BBs has id tags to the originator. There is no such thing as total anonymity. You can hide IP addresses, and other things like browser headers, etc. But to participate in FaceBook and most "on the up" social sites and BBS's like this one, you must give a valid address at an ISP. Not Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. FaceBook by it's nature collects a great deal of information on it's participants.
I believe you're confusing "ISP" with "email account". You can sign up for Facebook with free email providers quite easily. If they're using a public internet spot and they signed on with a throwaway address, it is possible they'd be difficult to track down, but that would be a lot of trouble most people don't bother with.
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
Yona wrote:
Every post, poll, whatever, on any BBs has id tags to the originator. There is no such thing as total anonymity. You can hide IP addresses, and other things like browser headers, etc. But to participate in FaceBook and most "on the up" social sites and BBS's like this one, you must give a valid address at an ISP. Not Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. FaceBook by it's nature collects a great deal of information on it's participants.
I believe you're confusing "ISP" with "email account". You can sign up for Facebook with free email providers quite easily. If they're using a public internet spot and they signed on with a throwaway address, it is possible they'd be difficult to track down, but that would be a lot of trouble most people don't bother with.
I'm not confusing anything. Those places provide free email. They are not service providers as are companies like TW, Comcast, Centurytel , or others.
But you are right about Facebook and being able to use the free email accounts. I was not aware that they accepted them until re-checking after the post last night.
I always use my ISP email account for everything, and just use spam filters to get rid of the chaff.
They could always put "Abby" on the trail.
The "Stupid Gene" is alive and well ! It resides in many forms, mostly in the "new" crop of Republicans !
