EFF wants protection for anonymous in porn-downloading suit

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is petitioning a federal judge to protect the anonymity of individuals involved in a copyright lawsuit over porn downloading. An adult film company wants to determine the identities of 1495 Internet users. The judge ordered the individuals suing to protect their anonymity to reveal their identities before the suit could proceed. [...]

Free speech: Mexican citizens murdered for using Internet to speak out against drug violence

Mexican drug cartels are murdering journalists and bloggers using the Internet and social media to protest the cartels’ drug-related violence. The Electronic Freedom Foundation makes some suggestions for Mexican citizens who want to continue the protests, “EFF recommends that bloggers who are concerned about their security and safety should post under a pseudonym, use Tor [...]

Google CEO: Online Anonymity Is Dangerous

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has said anonymity on the Internet is dangerous, according to a report in the Huffington Post. August 11, 2010 By International Business Times In an interview with CNBC conducted at the Techonomy conference earlier this month, Schmidt offered an additional look at his views on online privacy and  anonymity, says the [...]

Ninth circuit weighs in on internet anonymity, consumer griping at risk

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision last Monday in Inre:Anonymous Online Speakers, a case that could be influential for future courts decisions on whether to order the identification of anonymous or pseudonymous Internet speakers. Citizen Media Law Project July 20, 2010 By Citizen Media Law Project Staff The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals [...]

Glen Beck’s suit claiming unfair use of a trademarked name garners stiff response

Conservative commentator Glen Beck ferreted out the identity of an anonymous person behind a site that satirized Beck’s rhetorical style for the purpose of filing a suit against the man. The man, Isaac Eiland-Hall, claims that site poses no real threat to Beck’s livelihood but that Beck is filing the suit to shut down protected expression [...]

California case: Middle way may create burdens for those trying to unmask anonymous commenters

The Assistant Director of the Citizen Media Law Project writes that it’s difficult to decide whether a judge’s creative solution in a case involving anonymous commenters is praiseworthy and likens the ruling to Solomon’s “splitting the baby.” -DB Citizen Media Law Project Analysis September 16, 2009 By Sam Bayard It’s amazing how many times you [...]

China acts again to control Web site discourse

The Chinese government has issued a secret order requiring Internet users to sign onto news Web sites with their real names and identification numbers adding a new level of surveillance to an already tightly monitored enterprise. -DB The New York Times September 6, 2009 By Jonathan Ansfield BEIJING — News Web sites in China, complying with [...]