Slashdot Mirror
What Should You Do When Attacked Online?
Argylengineotis asks: "Recently, a friend of mine was viciously attacked by an unknown third party over the internet. This is not a typical case of cyber-crime either: the attack is in the form of slander, libel and posting of private information in public forums with the intent of encouraging further harassment. On top of everything, this attack is focused on forcing my friend out of business! Though we suspect certain people of perpetrating this series of crimes, the only way our friend could prove anything is with the resources of certain server logs belonging to the forum where this attack is taking place. This puts the forum in an awkward position, as they don't want to jeopardize their common-carrier status by setting a precedent of forking over server logs when somebody says something someone else doesn't like, be it overly critical or potentially slanderous, and they've referred my friend to their lawyers. My pal's local police force is totally unsympathetic and ultimately incapable of dealing with something like this, and the FBI won't even take a report, because there are no concrete points where there is verifiable damage, just a few mean-spirited posts in an anonymous forum. What, if any, are other possible recourses in a situation like this? Should my friend somehow try to find the money to hire an attorney to try and get the server logs (if they even exist)? Should my friend try and take matters into his own hands, (vigilantism)? Is there anyone we can call or write to that can exert some justice? Or does my friend simply have to resign himself to being the victim of a pretty nasty smear campaign?"
Um, a simple legal letter from a lawyer isn't worth the paper it's written on, unless the receiving party is easily scared by lawyers. And Slashdot has taken down posts when they have been deemed to put Slashdot at rish-- witness the hoo-ha over a Crutch of Scientology document posted by an AC.
And there is a huge legal loophole that allows for posting fairly "private" information on the net without someone's permission. It's called the First Amendment to the Constitution-- and people (and governments) are using that to do things like harrass abortion providers and their clients, harrass prostitutes and exotic dancers and their clients, harrass unapproved pharmaceutical dealers and their clients, and, in the case, of government, find criminals (FBI most wanted list) or harrass convicted felons after their release from prison (via sex offender registries posted to the net).
I'm curious... do you live in the U.S. and, if so, which laws are you talking about?
I do not have a signature
He can GROW UP and handle some immature bozo who bothers him in online forums like a man.
I think this is a bit overly harsh, but I do agree that litigation should be a last resort. A much better plan is to agressively RESPOND. The best counterattack to inaccurate speech is accurate speech. Trust your audience. Most people recognize a creep when he's called on it.
Make a website and post the correct responses to all of the inaccuracies and lies that the anonymous coward is spreading. Do it in the form of an FAQ. Restate his assertions in question form, answer them. Ask your own question, answer them. The go to EVERY forum where the lies have been posted and post the link with a brief statement and put him on the defensive.
Be sure to pose questions back to the originator:
Q: Why does John Doe post anonymously?
A: He knows what he is saying is false and he doesn't want to associate his name with his pretended beliefs.
Q: Why does he post my private information?
A: He doesn't want a battle of ideas, but rather a battle of cheap shots.
Q: Why does he keep repeating lie X, when the truth is Y?
A: Because he doesn't care about the truth, but instead wants the negative effect of deceitful propaganda.
Q: Who is John Doe? What is his agenda?
A: He may be a crackpot. He may work for one of my competitors. He may be an ex-girlfriend. He may be mentaly ill. We don't know because he posts anonymously. We don't really know anything about him other than he likes to spew anonymous attacks. He clearly has an agenda to try to damage my business through lies and deceipt.
Q: How credible is John Doe?
A: He spews anonymous attacks and won't respond to the truth. I put my name on my work and my communications. You be the judge who is more credible.
You get the idea.