Slashdot Mirror
Web Site Sues Annoying Pest Troll
kongjie writes "Cleveland's The Plain Dealer has a story in the business section about a pest-control web site that is suing someone who obviously has a particular bone to pick with exterminators: he is accused of being a "troll" who "constantly leaving obnoxious and offensive messages" on their pest-control bulletin board. The suit is for $5,000 and is for "violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.""
As others have already pointed out, free speech is not absolute. When you access a web page or web board, you are agreeing to adhere to the rules of that forum because the website (contrary to many people's beleifs) is not public property.
Second, though the drummer may not be arrested for merely drumming and chanting, he can be arrested under charges of Disorderly Conduct and Disturbing the Peace if:
enough people complain about him
he causes interference with the normal course of business on that street
he degrades the business occuring in the shops on that street
You have the right to free speech, but not to be destructive.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
That's close, but it's more like the troll did the same thing with 50 robots and whores so that no one could even get in the door, much less carry on a conversation or enjoy being there.
I like this and hope all the Steve Barktos and their company sponsors are ruined. That's right, whores, I'd like to see you lose your jobs, houses and reputations for such activity.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
Miss Selzer is a lawyer for the EFF. She also created the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse. As far as I know, she has no relation to the pest-control website. She was simply interviewed for the story.
She was commenting that most web forums are privately owned, so if this ruling stands, trolls can be kicked off virtually any website. Note, she didn't actually take a stance on the case, she simply suggested she was uncomfortable with it.
for every 200 trolls on slashdot. thats a million bucks!
Nice try, mathboy. That's only 100k.
-72
-Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music.
do not click on any of the posts there, unless you like tons of gay porn popups.
A name you can trust.
Make trolls foes, and No More Trolls (544787) a friend; then in Comment Options set foe and foes of friends to -6.