Sooooo the FBI opened something on GG.
Sooooo one of these days, the FBI is going to drop the hammer. All of these people on 8chan, KiA, steam, reddit, etc etc, are going to find out they have been talking to an informant the whole time. Nice.
KiA hope you guys are reading. $13k of crowdfunding isn't going to save you from the multitude of charges that will be brought against you. Let's look at some.
CFAA - Computer Fraud and Abuse Act - this law is quite broad and open to court challenge, (see Aaron's law) but chances are you broke every single part of it anyways. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030 ... but even if CFAA doesn't apply,, there's more.
RICO - Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act. This law was originally designed to go after the Mafia - a loosely organized group of mostly anonymous members who promised to keep their secrets, and whose organization repeatedly engaged in criminal activity. This law more than any other crushed the mafia. Over time the law has expanded and been used against white collar criminals, corrupt judges, charity frauds, etc. Now imagine this law applied to Gamergate. Or even just 8chan by itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act
Federal Interstate Extortion and Threat law
As you may know, activities conducted between state lines are regulated by the Federal govt thanks to the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. That means interstate death threats can be investigated by the FBI.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/875
"Whoever, with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. "
But don't take my word for it, take the word of a federal government Attorney:
http://www.justice.gov/usao/priority-areas/cyber-crime/internet-stalking
Tortious Interference
"Tortious interference with business relationships occurs where the tortfeasor acts to prevent the plaintiff from successfully establishing or maintaining business relationships. This tort may occur when a first party's conduct intentionally causes a second party not to enter into a business relationship with a third party that otherwise would probably have occurred. Such conduct is termed tortious interference with prospective business relations, expectations, or advantage or with prospective economic advantage."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortious_interference
Annnnd lastly, there is, well, the Lulzsec situation. Google the history of Sabu, you might realize that various law enforcement agencies could quite possibly be running that little secret GG chat room you have been spilling your guts to for all these months - all your hatreds and your vile intentions and your suggestions and the logs of your activity. Congrats. You see, a cop doesn't need to actually win in court against someone who runs a chat board or website. They just need to frighten him enough into turning state's evidence. It's standard operating procedure for police work. They have broken the KKK, they have broken the Mob, they have broken the militia movements, the anti-abortion terrorists, the animal rights arsonists, and on and on. Do you think it will take them much effort to break GamerGate?