That is nice in thory, but really work retroactivly and many people (read some of the comments in this thread) consider articles to Usenet under your name as credibly comming from you.
A prospective employer may not say "hey we want to hire you.... but did you really write this insane shit in this post?" You are not going to get the opportunity to explain that some jerk pulled a prank on you.
If you piss someone off or have a vindictive ex-wife or who-knows-what -- Do they get to use Google to destroy your life?
This will be an interesting area for the courts to explore I think.
A friend of mine discovered that that Google groups, when searching on his name, is reporting lots of spoofed postings to Usenet under his name. Really assinine wierd stuff. Not at all my fiends style, but a prospective employer might not understand this or even give him an opportunity to explain.
Not only that but the tons of follow-ups quoting the articles and atributing it to him.
I don't know what the hell he is going to do about it since Google says its his problem. Get all the the follow-up posters to understand and remove the flame-fest posts? Ha!
Is Google a publisher or Republish of this I wonder. Anyone with a legal opinion? It certainly could dammage his reputation when people do searching about him.
Life in the new era, Yikes!
Slashdot Mirror
I am sure Dave Winer would not find the previous post ironic, nor funny.
Re: digital signatures it was meant to say ... but WON'T really work retroactivly.
That is nice in thory, but really work retroactivly and many people (read some of the comments in this thread) consider articles to Usenet under your name as credibly comming from you. A prospective employer may not say "hey we want to hire you.... but did you really write this insane shit in this post?" You are not going to get the opportunity to explain that some jerk pulled a prank on you. If you piss someone off or have a vindictive ex-wife or who-knows-what -- Do they get to use Google to destroy your life? This will be an interesting area for the courts to explore I think.
A friend of mine discovered that that Google groups, when searching on his name, is reporting lots of spoofed postings to Usenet under his name. Really assinine wierd stuff. Not at all my fiends style, but a prospective employer might not understand this or even give him an opportunity to explain. Not only that but the tons of follow-ups quoting the articles and atributing it to him. I don't know what the hell he is going to do about it since Google says its his problem. Get all the the follow-up posters to understand and remove the flame-fest posts? Ha! Is Google a publisher or Republish of this I wonder. Anyone with a legal opinion? It certainly could dammage his reputation when people do searching about him. Life in the new era, Yikes!