Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Internet Defamation Suit Tests Online Anonymity

Posted by kdawson on from the nameless-and-hope-to-stay-that-way dept.

The Xoxo Reader writes "Reuters reports that two women at Yale Law School have filed suit for defamation and infliction of emotional distress against an administrator and 28 anonymous posters on AutoAdmit (a.k.a. Xoxohth), a popular law student discussion site. Experts are watching to see if the suit will unmask the posters, who are identified in the complaint only by their pseudonyms. Since AutoAdmit's administrators have previously said that they do not retain IP logs of posters, identifying the defendants may test the limits of the legal system and anonymity on the Internet. So far, one method tried was to post the summons on the message board itself and ask the defendants to step forward. The controversy leading to this lawsuit was previously discussed on Slashdot."

12 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. nonsense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The women who filed this suit have no case. I also have it on good authority that they are terrible students who neglect their studies, sleep around, take drugs and will no doubt become awful lawyers not fit to pass the bar.

    Furthermore, if they don't have sex with children, embezzle money, practise cruelty to animals and throw firebombs at orphans as a recreational activitiy, then my name is not Anonymous Coward.

    1. Re:nonsense by Robber+Baron · · Score: 4, Funny

      I also have it on good authority that they are terrible students who neglect their studies, sleep around, take drugs and will no doubt become awful lawyers not fit to pass the bar. In other words they'll be just like every other lawyer!
      --

      You're using her as bait, Master!

    2. Re:nonsense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      I suggest you look up the meaning of libel.

      I tried to, but every time I turned to the page this stupid magic dictionary kept flipping itself back to the definition of Joke instead.

  2. Phew by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Funny

    So far, one method tried was to post the summons on the message board itself and ask the defendants to step forward.

    Wow.. so did it work?

    If not, they gotta try to post the Internet summons in the form of a "IT'S NOT A JOKE. YOU WON. CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE" banner. Maybe throw in a "FREE TRIP!!!" next to it.

    That works. Every time.

  3. Re:Serving the summons? by mrbluze · · Score: 2, Funny

    The laws regarding serving summons are pretty explicit.

    Better make sure the kids are in bed before you go looking at them, methinks.

    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  4. No logs, no problem! by LMacG · · Score: 1, Funny

    If they don't keep IP logs, they'll simply have to turn over their RAM.

    --
    Slightly disreputable, albeit gregarious
  5. Easy, just get the memory by glassesmonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    All the court has to do is subpoena all the RAM on the server. Surely that will reveal the evil do-ers IP addresses! O.. wait... This sounds familiar...

  6. Re:The web is becoming laden with the same by I+Am+Defragged · · Score: 2, Funny

    u****t
    Perhaps I'm not cool enough to get this, but these are the only words I can think of (and by think of, I mean grab from an online crossword cheat-bot), and none of them seem to fit:

    UMLAUT UNBENT UNBOLT UNFELT UNHURT UNJUST UNREST UNSEAT UPBEAT UPLIFT UPROOT UPSHOT URGENT UTMOST
  7. Re:From TFA: by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    how is the content any more credible than the random scrawlings of an interstate rest area

    There is really no reason to bash our nation's fine rest areas, sir. Since the bathhouses closed, they're the source of 90% of my dates.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  8. Hmmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    So far, one method tried was to post the summons on the message board itself and ask the defendants to step forward.

    Finally! Here's my chance!
    I am Spartacus!
    oh, wait...

    filed suit for defamation and infliction of emotional distress...


    Nevermind...
  9. Re:Rudy Guiliani by trippeh · · Score: 2, Funny

    The author of the above post has asked me to take the time to point out that he is a poet first, and a would-be assassin second.

    --
    THUD~*
  10. Re:The web is becoming laden with the same by Sunburnt · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's still always September on S******t.

    Oh, no use hiding that one. They've already found us here.

    --
    Tags != Comments, and -1 (Troll) != -1 (I Would Respond Angrily To This Poster So They Must Be Trolling)