Court Rules in Favor of Anonymous Blogger

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."

Comments

Good call with limits

[Anonymous Coward]

So long as it doesn't cross the line to outright slanderous speech I completely agree. The issue becomes if people are free to anonymously post false claims what is to stop one political party from posting false statements about an opponent in an election anonymously? Say one party starts posting on blogs that the other cannidate is a child molester? The statement is untrue but swings an election. Slander doesn't fall under free speech and shouldn't be protected on the internet. Otherwise the internet needs to remain free. It may be the last place you can make your views known without fear of reprisals.

Re:Right to post anonymously?

[Atzanteol]

Damned right. I'll even add to your list.

Bunch of cowards! :-)