# Is it against the law to threaten someone online? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370 "2002-08-17T18:20:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/1 "2002-08-17T18:20:33Z")
If someone was to tell me they wanted to kill me, they would kill me, or they would try to harm me or someone else, would that be against the law? Not if they do it, but if they simply say they want to or will do it, a threat I suppose you could say. The state in question that someone has done this, is in Tn. It wasn’t dirrected at me, but at one of the members at a web forum that I admin over. Please let me know, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/2 "2002-08-17T18:31:19Z")
I would suggest you ask the police about it or consult the FBI. At a lower level, you can check with the ISP of the person who made the threat. At least, making a threat online is a violation of your TOA of the ISP. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/3 "2002-08-17T20:21:54Z")
A threat is a threat no matter how it was made. If the person it was directed to found it credible, thought it may actually harm him, then it is a crime no matter how it was done. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/4 "2002-08-17T20:45:55Z")
First, know that the FBI doesn’t give a rat’s ass about online threats, unless there is serious evidence that there is an actual intent to carry it out. And even then they don’t much care. Second, check the laws of your State - they are all online, so you should be able to easily search for the relevant sections. Note that this web community may also be protected by laws which protect people from harassment over phone lines, any data lines, and even more general laws which protect either corporations and their employees and not-for-profit entities. Third, do the second thing above, but for the State the miscreant is in. Fourth, if you have their IP, it’s time for some evidence gathering. Put their IP into Google - you would not believe how effective this is at finding patterns of abuse and threats on other Boards. Also, if you want to start taking the fight to them - post their IP on the site, and expose all of the nasty business to the light of day. Sick little fucks that threaten and harass rely on intimidation to try and convince you that it is somehow “illegal” or even “immoral” not to post their IPs and access information. I can assure you, as an Admin, it is perfectly legal in every State I know of to post their IP and access informaiton, as well as all legally-available and legally-accessible information about them. The only reason IPs are commonly hidden is out of “courtesy”. But when threats are made, all right to courtesy is gone. Next, you need to take a pre-emptive strike, and post a general notice in your Rules of Access. Here is mine, which you can use as an example: > [@](#): > > **Notice to BANNED Members and Members who blatantly violate certain Rules of the Board:** When you violate the Rules to the point of being BANNED, or are actually BANNED, for the offenses of intentional and malicious sockpuppetry, registering in violation of a clear order not to by a Board Staff Member, returning to the Board or accessing the Board **in any manner or in any circumstances after having been BANNED or ordered not to return by any Staff Member** , or malicious hacking of the Board in any clear form, you no longer are afforded any privacy. > > ALL persons, Members and Unregistered Guests and Visitors, acknowledge by accessing or continuing to access or post on the Board after (TIME TIMEZONE, DAY MONTH YEAR), that they agree, under the Terms of Service of this Board, not to commit intentional and malicious sockpuppetry, registering in violation of a clear order not to by a Board Staff Member, returning to the Board or accessing the Board **in any manner or in any circumstances after having been BANNED or ordered not to return by any Staff Member** , or malicious hacking of the Board in any clear form. A violation of this notice may result in any and all publicly-available or publicly-accessible information about yourself being posted on the Board for information gathering or any other purpose. This information may include, but is not limited to, all IP addresses you have posted under and all ISPs or Internet access points and the times and dates of access. Note that contrary to widespread belief, IP addresses are **not** considered confidential, private, or personal information by the courts; and are kept private out of **courtesy and respect for Members in good standing**. When you violate the Terms of Service of the Board in the manners outlined above, you not only are no longer a Member or Guest in good standing, but have instead **attacked, harassed, and violated the entire Community** , and Community (and Other) Punishment will be exacted. The Members in good standing on this Board have **every right** to know **exactly who** is harassing them, so they may take action themselves to protect themselves from harassment, cyberstalkers, hackers, and people of criminal intent. > > Once you have been BANNED for these aforementioned reasons, you have no rights on this Board whatsoever, and no expectation of being treated with courtesy and respect. In addition, the **entire Board Community** may be requested to (but are under no **implied or express obligation whatsoever** to) assist the Board Staff in determining your identity and in exacting lawful and legal recourse, and in assisting Board counsel for legal action. > > We will take lawful and legal, swift, and certain action to **protect** our Members in good standing, and their **rights to be free from harassment**. They need to be safe here, and we intend to do what is within our legal and lawful ability to protect them ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/5 "2002-08-18T03:55:15Z")
::Heartfelt Applause, applause:: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/6 "2002-08-18T04:01:32Z")
It is called cyberstalking. Forty-four states in the USA have laws against it. See [http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/cip/stalk99.htm](http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/cip/stalk99.htm) for the list as well as specific laws of each state. ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Luongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chris\_Luongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chris_Luongo)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-against-the-law-to-threaten-someone-online/124370/7 "2002-08-19T00:34:06Z")
Although I’m no lawyer, I would imagine that a threat is a threat, no matter how it is communicated. Even though the Internet is relatively new, I’d hazard a guess that our legal system has already had to deal with death threats made by telegraph, telephone, CB radio, charades, sign language, and so on. For example, it just occured to me that it would be impossible to verbally communicate a death threat to a completely-deaf person. Just because you’re deaf shouldn’t mean the other guy doesn’t go to jail. Of course, regardless of the law, getting the authorities to pay any attention to an online death threat is another matter altogether.