Saturday, October 13, 2007

Michigan Advertising Company Hunts Bloggers Who Blogged Against It: First Amendment Rights vs. Slander vs. Privacy Issues Case Taking Shape

A Michigan advertising company has sued thirty unknown bloggers for going after it on their blogs, in forums, and on YouTube.

They've also gone after Internet Service Providers (ISP's) to provide them with identities of all thirty "John Does" and to help them identify who posted things about them on YouTube.

The company believes that it is part of a smear campaign by former distributors of theirs whose contracts were terminated by the company some time before. They've already beaten a lawsuit by former businesses that associated with them who claim that the Michigan company is part of some kind of pyramid and is illegal.

This is shaping up to be an interesting case that pits free speech vs. a possible slander against the company vs. privacy rights in general.

Some thoughts:

If this is a smear campaign on the part of some of their former or current employees, I don't care what the company does.

If they're wrong, and the bloggers are people who simply don't like their company or their products, then they should be left alone, which the company has said it would do. We'll see.

Should be interesting to see what happens.

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