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Maryland Court Weighs Internet Anonymity

Posted by timothy on from the when-first-grade-never-ends dept.

Cornwallis writes "In a First Amendment case with implications for everything from neighborhood e-mail lists to national newspapers, a Maryland businessman argued to the state's highest court yesterday that the host of an online forum should be forced to reveal the identities of people who posted allegedly defamatory comments. The businessman, Zebulon J. Brodie, contends that he was defamed by comments about his shop, a Dunkin' Donuts in Centreville, posted on NewsZap.com. The shop was described as one 'of the most dirty and unsanitary-looking food-service places I have seen.' Talk about a Negative Nellie! At least the article didn't say the shop was the 'most dirty and unsanitary-looking food-service places I have seen.'"

3 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. Here comes the Eula by bigattichouse · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In order to encourage open communication in [forum X] I agree to hold this list harmless, and waive any implied rights to defamation... blah blah blah or some such crap. Could a disclaimer/waiver hold up in court? They work for personal injury, why not "social injury"?

    --
    meh
  2. Um, no... by kabocox · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm actually ticked at my local health inspector because they don't make this easy for my city. It's easy to look up this sort of info at other places
    http://www.txkusa.org/health/Food_Report.pdf

    Here is the real slashdot test. What did this guy happen to score on his local health inspection and how easy is that for his usual customers to obtain and see his results?

    I actually think the judge needs to throw this right out. This is an opinion about a food serving place and it isn't even that harsh. If he doesn't want to hear what his customers think of his place, then he doesn't need to listen to them. Maybe, just maybe he needs to clean up his shop and present a better public image for his customers?

    I wouldn't be surprised if his competitors are eating him alive.

  3. Re:Zebulon J. Brodie by cherokee158 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My wife worked at a Dunkin Donuts once...for about two hours. The little old Chinese lady running it asked her to go get some donuts out of the back, and when she turned on the light of the storeroom, she saw roaches scurrying all over them. When she told the old woman about it, her attitude was "Phah, just knock them off."

    She left and called the local health inspector. That shop closed the next day.

    Sometimes criticism is GOOD.