Computer Users Urged to Report Hate on Internet

A federal prosecutor is urging computer users to report electronic hate mail to authorities, saying “a full-court press” is needed to stamp out this illegal use of the Internet.

Assistant U. S. Atty. Michael J. Gennaco, who prosecutes civil rights violations, said Internet users cannot legally target and threaten people because of their race or religious beliefs.

“Some may be unsure at what point electronically transmitted messages move beyond the protections of the 1st Amendment and cross the line into illegal activity such as threats,” Gennaco said.

“For those in doubt,” he added, “go ahead and report the incident and allow federal and state prosecutors to assess the case.”

Gennaco said only one complaint in 10 might result in a criminal prosecution, but prosecutors would be happy to cull through the many cases they can’t prosecute in order to get the few they can.

Gennaco made his remarks at a news conference organized by the Anti-Defamation League to unveil a new report on hate groups using the Internet.

The report, “High-Tech Hate: Extremist Use of the Internet,” documents the growth of hate and extremism on the Web and how groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, anti-government militias and Holocaust deniers go online to recruit followers.

“Hate is polluting the Internet,” said Joyce Greenspan, regional director of the ADL’s Orange County/Long Beach office. “Racists, anti-Semites and extremists reach many more individuals than they could have previously dreamed about. Through e-mail they intrude our homes, workplace, school and universities as never before.”

Greenspan cited as an example the case of an UC Irvine student Gennaco is prosecuting for sending e-mail threatening to kill university students simply because they are Asian. The defendant, Richard Machado, has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in federal court in Santa Ana on Nov. 4.