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Court Rules in Favor of Anonymous Blogger

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the little-man-wins dept.

joel_archer writes "The Delaware Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed a lower court decision requiring an Internet service provider to disclose the identity of an anonymous blogger who targeted a local elected official. Judge Steele described the Internet as a 'unique democratizing medium unlike anything that has come before,' and said anonymous speech in blogs and chat rooms in some instances can become the modern equivalent of political pamphleteering. 'We are concerned that setting the standard too low will chill potential posters from exercising their First Amendment right to speak anonymously,' Steele wrote."

5 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Sad by dustinbarbour · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hear ya'. The public in this country has taken a rash beating in the passed (past? Could a Slashdot grammar Nazi clarify?) years that we get all excited when things are decided in favor of the law. How ridiculous things have become. But never fear... Little things like this mean democracy and freedom still breathe!

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  2. Why is this news?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This really shouldn't be news. The whole thing against the blogger is stupid. It's like saying you'd sue someone who was spouting crap in speaker's corner - if that were the case what would be the point in speaker's corner?????

    1. Re:Why is this news?? by meringuoid · · Score: 2, Interesting
      It's like saying you'd sue someone who was spouting crap in speaker's corner - if that were the case what would be the point in speaker's corner?????

      I've often wondered, but never actually bothered to look up: what IS the deal with Speakers' Corner? For those who don't know, it's a place in one of London's parks where people with axes to grind traditionally get up on their soapboxes to harangue the passers-by. I seem to remember hearing that there was some old mediaeval law protecting absolutely their right to do so - this from way back when free speech was something of a rarity - but I'm not certain of this.

      Basically, is it still slander if you say it at Speakers' Corner? I know that what is said inside Parliament is immune to these laws, and I'm wondering if the same applies here.

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  3. Slashdot effect=40,000 visitors a blog says. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting
    The slashdot effect now finally has a number on it due to a blog's stats:

    40,000 visitors to be exact.

  4. what right? by calyptos · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I can't find anything in the first amendment which addresses a right to speak anonymously.

    Although I do agree with the court ruling.

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