Opinion

Strangling the Web

Memo to Albany Republicans: All things being equal, the First Amendment covers anonymous speech — and it applies to the Internet, too.

Even if that speech doesn’t reflect well on incumbent state legislators.

No, make that especially speech that doesn’t reflect well on incumbent state legislators.

Unhappily, however, GOP lawmakers are pushing a dangerous piece of work — the Internet Protection Act — meant to take a giant step toward banning anonymous comments on Web sites, including nasty words about politicians.

Senate sponsor Tom O’Mara (R-Elmira) pitched it as a cyberbullying bill, but it’s actually a much wider attack on free speech.

The bill requires that blogs, social networks and other sites remove “any comments” by anonymous commenters simply “upon request” from anyone, or else force the commenters to provide real names.

That is, not only are mean words verboten (as the bills’ sponsors would have you believe). Any anonymous posts are subject to censorship. For any reason.

These guys ever hear of free speech?

True, anonymous commenters can be obnoxious trolls. And sponsors say they hope to protect kids from cyberbullies and shield businesses from negative posts by their rivals — not that even those goals should be allowed to trump the First Amendment.

But as Assemblyman Jim Conte (R-LI) made clear, the bill will also ban “mean-spirited and baseless political attacks that . . . falsely tarnish the opponent’s reputation by using the anonymity of the Web.”

Forget the First Amendment — these guys are looking out for No. 1.

It’s bad enough that a single member of the Senate is backing this dangerous proposition. It’s downright horrifying that half of Republicans in the Assembly are sponsors.

The GOP is supposed to be a counterbalance to Albany’s baser instincts.

With bills like these, who needs ’em?