Anonymity of bloggers tested in lawsuit 1
If you’re a blogger you have better read up on what’s the latest on what rules and laws apply and affect you and your blog.
One very notable development happened when a Canadian model was able to win in the courts and compel an anonymous blogger who has been disparaging her person to reveal his identity. This case sets a precedent about the legal ramifications of slandering and posting negative or hurtful opinions online.
Bloggers, especially anonymous ones, have taken the anonymity the internet gives them as a license to insult other people or to spread false information. The general belief is that they will be free from prosecution because no one knows who they are. The lawsuit has now made anonymous bloggers “vulnerable”. They cannot hide behind the cloak of the internet anymore. Unfortunately, there is also an added complication. In the said lawsuit, the offending blogger has filed a lawsuit against Google — the company who was compelled to reveal the identity of the blogger. The blogger contends that her right to privacy was violated. These actions just means that the blogosphere is going to become a legal battleground where new legal precedents will be established.
Bloggers who hide behind anonymity to post false, slanderous or secure information are cowardly and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It should not have to be so much effort, time consuming and costly to expose these perpetrators. All blog authors should be required to list their verified indentities with their blog host or web host and that information should be freely accessible by authorities. There is enough harmful blog garbage out there . . enough is enough.
Words by Rutland on September 4, 2009 at 12:10 am | #