Quote of the Day

The Internet is becoming less and less of a Wild West than it once was (sorry angry anonymous commenters)…for proof, look at this story from Jakarta in which a girl was convicted for bashing her friend over Facebook in the belief that she was trying to steal her boyfriend. Also amusing: The words substituted in for what the girl undoubtedly actually used.

A teenager received a suspended jail sentence for posting insulting comments on a romantic rival’s Facebook page, the latest case bringing Indonesia’s tough defamation laws under criticism.

Farah Nur Arafah, 18, was convicted Tuesday by three District Court judges in the town of Bogor, 35 miles (60 kilometers) south of Jakarta, of defaming her 18-year-old Facebook friend Felly Fandini. Arafah feared Fandini was attempting to sour the relationship with her boyfriend.

Arahaf’s posting in July last year called Fandini a pig and a dog, as well as saying she was promiscuous and overweight.

Presiding judge Ekofa Rahayu sentenced her to 75 days in prison, but suspended the sentence because Arafah cooperated during her trial. She must serve the sentence if she breaks the law in the next five months.

Arafah said her brush with the law had not put her off Facebook. “But I’ll be more careful about what comments I post,” she told The Jakarta Post newspaper.

Indonesian teenager convicted for Facebook insult [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

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