The Manhattan Supreme Court has required Google, the host of the blog “Skanks in NYC”, to release the personal information of the blogger behind the blog to Liskula Cohen. Cohen is a fashion model who was referred to in the blog with the line “How old is this skank? 40 something? She’s a psychotic, lying, whoring, still going to clubs at her age, skank”. At best this is needlessly offensive and at worst slanderous.
But is the court justified in forcing the identity of the formerly anonymous blogger to become public knowledge? Absolutely! While being able to be hidden behind blogs and posts has encouraged people to express themselves to a far greater degree than anything else in modern times, these people do need to take responsibility and be held accountable for what they say. If you craft your words you can avoid civil penalties and still make your point, no matter how offensive.
Freedom of speech should in no way be confused with a freedom to remain anonymous.
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