Gambling is worse if it's on the Internet? (July 12, 2006)

Ugh, I wish that Congress would stop entertaining laws specific to the Internet or to computers. If they want to ban interstate gambling, then fine, but why dwell on the use of the Internet? If you gamble over the phone is it really so different?

This reminds me of the Communications Decency Act. Sure, it's bad to mistreat children. So why tailor it to computers, specifically? Do we really want to give lighter sentences to people if they don't use a computer? Do we want to say, ah, yes, so-and-so did unspeakable things, but since he did not use a computer we will go easy on him?

This is a big pet peeve of mine. Computers are tools, and just because you use one does not make a crime more or less severe.


Lex Spoon