You’re (Technically) Breaking The Law If You’re Reading This In Florida

Are you in Florida? Are you reading these words? You are in trouble! Well, probably not, but technically you are breaking the law if you’re on the Internet on any device, claims one lawsuit. Lawmakers in that state recently voted to ban all Internet cafes in the wake of an Internet gambling front scandal, and accidentally worded the ban in a way that appears to outlaw all the devices used to access the Internet.

Governor Rick Scott called the ban “the right thing to do for our state,” reports the Huffington Post, after a charity tied to the lieutenant governor was shut down for perhaps being a gambling front. She resigned as a result of the scandal, and all 1,000 Internet cafes were put out of business.

One of those cafes provides online services to migrant workers and is now suing the state. See, the bill defines illegal slot machines as “any machine or device or system or network of devices” that may be used in a game of chance, says the lawsuit. You could do that on a computer anywhere, if you wanted, and had an Internet connection.

Such a broad wording could count for any smartphone, tablet or computer, argue the lawyers for the business, claiming that the whole thing was passed “in a frenzy fueled by distorted judgment in the wake of a scandal that included the Lieutenant Governor’s resignation” and declares it unconstitutional.

Read the full complaint here [PDF].

*Thanks for the tip, Derek!

Florida Accidentally Banned All Computers, Smart Phones In The State Through Internet Cafe Ban: Lawsuit [Huffington Post]

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