http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/11/13/MNGPU30H811.DTL
A California state appelate court has ruled that InterNet Service Providers can be held legally responsible if someone using their services defames someone online and the ISP knew about it. This makes an ISP equivalent to a bookstore or a library, instead of a telephone or telegraph network. The chilling effects of this misguided ruling on free InterNet speech cannot be exaggerated, and serves as yet another example of how the legal system continues to vitiate the promise inherent in information technology.
Of course, the ruling is being appealed...we can comfort ourselves that the lawyers at least, are making money out of this.
Posted by jho at November 17, 2003 09:51 PM