For Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Swatting was not something she wanted her country to allow.
So she supported the Anti-Swatting bill, which would see harsh penalties given to those who participate in the Internet Pranking. The repercussions would be up to a life sentence in prison.
Swatting someone has become an increasingly common thing to do to streamers, with members calling in fake reports of a shooter being in the house, illegal firearms, etc.
Past reports of Swatting gone wrong, with one of the more notable cases happening to Joshua Peters. The gamer’s family had guns pointed at them, and according to the article published by The Guardian, “When we were all laying down, I spoke out. I said ‘I stream on Twitch.TV, I’m being Swatted, and someone probably prank-called this’. And then the tone shifted as soon as I said ‘I’m streaming on Twitch.TV.'”
The pranks haven’t ended yet, though, with Katherine Clark being SWATted herself. Congresswoman Clark found her street blocked off, police surrounding her house, and a SWAT team advancing. Her bill has received support from both parties.