Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Chilled

Blogs are free-wheeling and entertaining, and a large part of this is their anonynimity, allowing people to say what they want without fear of social constraints or reprisals.

Yes, at times, this is a bad thing.

A recent court ruling that a blogger's identity can be revealed in the local newspaper will certainly give some pause. A separate case has requested a newspaper to turn over the names, ip addresses, etc., of everyone who commented on a specific story. The newspaper is fighting it.

Newspapers, being hard-hit lately, surely should not have to defend lawsuits such as this. Bloggers operating under the knowledge that they can be exposed to the world, will probably just tone down everything they say. Boring. And lacking diversity. Too bad.

Links courtesy of The Drudge Report.

9 Comments:

Blogger Kevin Musgrove said...

A combination of idiocy at the Times and the egregious Mister Justice Eady, the libel lawyer's friend and champion of free speech (irony alert)

12:47 PM  
Blogger Lulu LaBonne said...

That is most definitely a Bad Thing - I could get cross about that

5:01 PM  
Blogger the letters i wish i'd written... said...

everyone believes in freedom of speech until someone says what they don't want to hear. I may not always agree with a persons point, but i should always defend their right to say it.

1:31 AM  
Blogger linda said...

Hmmm, not happy about that prospect. Once again I do wonder about that old book I read at school. What was it now? Oh yes, 1984.

4:38 AM  
Blogger Gorilla Bananas said...

We must face the fact that newspapers hate bloggers, Ms Cow. Bloggers give away for free what they charge for. So newspapers will do whatever they can to make life difficult for bloggers.

1:28 PM  
Blogger The Topiary Cow said...

Kevin: Ironic, yes?

Lulu: Rather scared to see Lulu cross, she might get "bugged"

Letters: You are so right.

Linda: Ha! 1984 it is!

Rilla: had not thought of that...as always Cow bows deeply to Congo wisdom.

Moo!

2:08 PM  
Blogger raydenzel1 said...

If they identified me, they might see my (sheep)ish grin.

5:59 PM  
Blogger The Topiary Cow said...

RJ would not be the only sheepish one, presumably!

Moo!

6:50 AM  
Blogger raydenzel1 said...

I do think most bloggers will not be affected.

3:25 PM  

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