Google says it complies “with valid legal processes, such as court orders and subpoenas” but also is an “advocate for user privacy” and makes sure such requests follow the “spirit of the law.” In 2006, Google successfully fought a Department of Justice subpoena for millions of search queries.
Published 22:29, August the 24th, 2009
Bad case for blogger
Experts say she’s got a snowball’s chance going up against Google
Google says it complies “with valid legal processes, such as court orders and subpoenas” but also is an “advocate for user privacy” and makes sure such requests follow the “spirit of the law.” In 2006, Google successfully fought a Department of Justice subpoena for millions of search queries.
Legal experts said Rosemary Port’s plans to sue Google for revealing her identity as a name-calling blogger will likely topple like a model on nine-inch heels.
Google outed the Fashion Institute of Technology student through a court order after she branded Vogue cover girl Liskula Cohen a “ho,” “skank” and “old hag.” Port’s seeking $15 million from the company.
The catfight goes on even though Cohen, 37, dropped plans for a $3 million defamation suit. Now Port, 29, says Google failed in its duty to protect her anonymity, her lawyer told the Daily News yesterday.
“Bloggers should recognize that they are not nearly as anonymous as they think they are,” said Stanford Law professor Mark Lemley.
Brooklyn Law School’s Derek Bambauer said, “We need to have some balance between making it too easy and too hard to speak anonymously online.”
“It’s hard to feel sympathy” for a model who can “afford an expensive lawyer,” Bambauer said, “but it affects the Deep Throats and whistle-blowers in other cases.”
Other cases
[1] Elisha Strom, an anonymous blogger, was arrested in July and charged with identifying a drug enforcement police officer with intent to harass.
BLOG POSTING: “I do have enough intelligence to ... effectually take on what I believe is nothing more than a group of arrogant thugs.”
[2] Two female Yale Law School students have been unmasking trolls posting misogynist rants against women.
BLOG POSTING: “Women named Jill and Hillary should be raped.”