The Communications Decency Act

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not
explicitly provided for in the Constitution, yet most of the Internet users
remain anonymous. Cavazos says, "Computers and digital communication
technologies present a serious challenge to legislators and judges who try to
meet the demands of economic and social change while protecting this most basic
and fundamental personal freedom." Networks and the Internet make it easy for
anyone with the proper equipment to look at information based around the world
instantly and remain anonymous. "The right to conduct at least some forms of
speech activity anonymously has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court." (Cavazos
15) In cyberspace it is extremely uncommon for someone to use their given name
to conduct themselves, but rather they use pseudonyms or "Handles". (Cavazos 14)
Not only is it not illegal to use handles on most systems, but the sysop (System
Operator) does not have to allow anyone access to his data files on who is the
person behind the handle. Some sysops make the ...

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worth of goods and services a
year are stolen using credit card fraud. No matter how illegal, many are not
caught. With the use of anonymous names and restricted access to provider's
data on users, it becomes harder to catch the criminals on-line.

The "[Wire Fraud Act] makes it illegal for anyone to use any wire, radio, or
television communication in interstate or foreigncommerce to further a scheme to
defraud people of money or goods." (Cavazos 110) This is interpreted to include
telephone communications, therefore computer communication as well. There is
much fraud on the Internet today, and the fraud will continue until a feasable
way to enforce the Wire Fraud Act comes ...

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