Enforce 18 U.S. Code 875 part (c) regarding threats made over the network

[FarCenter]

(c) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/875

If enforced, the person making the threat would be convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. Therefore, they would not be able to possess or purchase firearms.

[MineralMan]

1. Sadly, that law is very rarely enforced.

It should be, but it is not. If every death threat on the Internet were prosecuted, we'd need an FBI the size of the Army.

Internet death threats are not even on the FBI's radar, frankly.

[FarCenter]

2. True, but at least this law is already on the books.

I'm sure that Facebook and Google could develop algorithms that could prioritize the most felonious cases for investigation and prosecution.

[MineralMan]

3. Neither Facebook nor Google is interested in becoming a law enforcement

agency. Nor are they interested in forwarding identifiable threats to law enforcement agencies. They will cite "privacy" issues instead.

However, individuals certainly can report such threats, and should, when they see them. Probably, they will not be investigated, due to lack of resources, but reporting them certainly is a good idea.

[FarCenter]

4. Facebook and Google must assume the great responsibilities that come with great power

Once corporations grow beyond a certain level of dominance, they are no longer just ordinary corporations, but subject to regulation and direction in the public interest.

[MineralMan]

5. That's what you'd think, isn't it?

It's not what Google and Facebook think, though, and there is nothing that compels them to do it.

[melm00se]

6. Service providers

are afforded a certain amount of immunity but the second they start actively policing, they lose that immunity and that is something that they do not want to do.

[FarCenter]

7. They are well down the slippery slope to becoming media companies. Both are ad driven publishers.

[melm00se]

8. I agree

which is why they will fight for and jealously guard this immunity