Lawsuit Cracks Open Online Anonymity

Lawsuit Cracks Open Online Anonymity
Shortcomings in the Law Allow Cyberdefamation Campaigns, Legal Expert Says
By KI MAE HEUSSNER
Feb. 27, 2009—

Steven Jones is an opinionated guy.

And when he reads something online that strikes a particular nerve, chances are he'll speak up.

So, when the 54-year-old from Texarkana, Texas, came across an article about a couple in neighboring Clarksville who were charged with sexual assault, he decided to throw in his own two cents.

Using the screen name "Wounded," Jones posted one of thousands of anonymous comments about the case. Others went further, linking the couple to perverted sex acts, drugs and other crimes.

Big mistake.

Earlier this month, Jones, a disabled truck driver, logged on to learn that the Clarksville couple, cleared of the charges, had turned around to file a lawsuit of their own -- against 178 anonymous commenters, including Jones, who they claim posted defamatory comments on the Web forum Topix.com .

Now that a Texas judge has ordered Topix to release identifying information for the posters by March 6, Jones, who revealed himself to ABCNews.com , is preparing to meet the couple in person -- in court.

thank goodness for the "I did it for the lulz defense".

how do you look up who is making the remarkes on a post?

bubbles wrote:

how do you look up who is making the remarkes on a post?

why would you want to?

bubbles wrote:

how do you look up who is making the remarkes on a post?

Are you just wanting the computer ID ?

yes