Petition to Declare Public Sex Offender Registration in the United States a Violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
Today, approximately one-million people in the United States are forced to register as “sex offenders”. The label leads to stigmatization, separation from society, loss of employment, loss of housing and even exposure to violence at the hands of vigilantes. The stigmatization extends to the spouses, children, family, friends, employer and anyone that associates with the registrant. The isolation, shame, stress, fear of violence, loss of income and other psychological effects are experienced by the entire household.
Had Packingham lost, states would have been emboldened to do what NC had done, ie, ban registrants from social media sites and more. Instead, we have, for example, thousands of registrants on Twitter, sharing ideas about registries, raising awareness, and getting a little escape from social isolation, with no resulting threat to public safety.
It’s true that Facebook had already been banning registrants from their own site, but Packingham was never about that, a common misconception about this case.
In retrospect, this was a hollow “victory.” Corporations are given unbridled authority to regulate and enforce restrictions on social media to deny freedom of speech to registrants. Until the federal government removes that authority, which they never will, we remain a sub-class of citizens.
What about Facebook ? Practically every corner of the internet where you are able to blog and speak an opinion requires a Facebook account. They are “publicly” traded and hooked linked to almost every site (id say about 90%) where you are able to leave a comment, opinion and everything talking. Even more so, the news media sites. They hinder my first amendment right to leaving an opinion on an article that was published by the free press news sites. Anonymity is also protected by the U.S constitution and Bill of Rights to protect an unpopular individual from the lynch mob majority in our society.