Google forced to reveal identity of anonymous blogger

by Staff, Brand Republic 19-Aug-09, 15:10

NEW YORK - Liskula Cohen, a model who has appeared on the front cover of Vogue, has won a court ruling forcing Google to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger.

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Cohen took her case to the Manhattan supreme court in an attempt to have the blogger -- writing under the moniker "Anonymous" -- unmasked, so that she can sue them for defamation.

The piece appeared on the Skanks in NYC blog (which is no longer live) and described Cohen in less-than-flattering words -- using terms including "skank" and "old hag".

The post drew the ire of Cohen earlier this year, after she read comments that, among other things, suggested she was in her 40s (she is 37) and "may have been hot 10 years ago".

Joan Madden, the New York supreme court judge who delivered the ruling, rejected the blogger's defence that blogs were a "modern day forum for conveying personal opinions, including invective and ranting".

The judge said that anonymous bloggers should be held to account if their comments were too derisive.

Steven Wagner, Cohen's lawyer, said the blogger would now be sued for libel.

However, Anne Salisbury, the defendant's lawyer, argued that Cohen had used the case to attract publicity rather than to restore her reputation.

Salisbury added that the ruling had "potentially damaging implications for free speech on the internet".

Google said that it understood that cyber-bullying could have a detrimental affect on people but added that it also respected privacy and would only reveal an anonymous blogger's identity when ordered to do so by a court.

Comments

Mark Griffiths - 20/08/2009

Free speech on the internet comes with responsibilities. It's easy to call people names behind a wall of anonymity. It's also pathetic and cowardly. I always challenge people who launch opinions in blogs or forums under an assumed moniker. Stand by your views and put your name to them. Or put up and shut up. This is a great day for freedom of speech. In a totalitarian state, there is a place for anonymous statements. In a democracy free speech is never promoted by anonymity.

Anon ymous - 20/08/2009

I believe this is a dreadful day for freedom of speech. I would disagree with the above statements and would even go as far as to say they are utter "skank". I wholeheartedly stand by my view too.

Anne Warrington - 20/08/2009

Well said MARK !! I presume Anon ymous was one of 'those kids' who expressed opinion then hid behind the bike shed in case he got a slap !

Jocelyn Kirby - 20/08/2009

Would the use of social-media style as a response to this attack not have been more apt for Cohen? It is fairly obvious that regardless of her age, she has a beauty to be envious of, so comments like 'skank' really aren't going to cause her reputation too much damage! As much as I totally disagree with the anonymous bloggers behaviour, personally, I don't believe this needed to be taken to the courts. However, I also don't believe that the blogger should be allowed to hide behind the anonymity that has given them the guts to state such controversial / harsh views. I agree with Mark - stand by your views and put your name to them.