7:17pm EDT, Thu Sep 2

US, UK Look at Web Anonymity, Privacy

By: The Online Reporter
Publish Date: February 13, 2009

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The European Commission and a Texas judge have taken separate looks at the Internet and come to a few conclusions about anonymity and privacy in terms of bullying on the Web. In Europe, social media sites Facebook, MySpace and 15 other networks that are available there have signed an agreement proposed by the European Commission that aims to eliminate "cyber-bullying" and protect children's privacy. Social networks will start ensuring a bit more privacy for children by setting the profiles of those under age 18 to "private" by default, meaning they are not searchable. Users will also be given easier opportunities to report abuse. MySpace has recently announced that it has removed over 90,000 sex offenders from its Web service, meaning that social sites are huge hubs for both children and those who might prey on them. In Texas, the anonymity of the bullies themselves may be getting removed. A judge has ordered that the site Topix.com must give indentifying details about 178 anonymous commenters who are being sued for defamation. Topix itself is not being sued. The plaintiffs in the case were previously accused of a crime and then found to be not guilty, but the site's threads continued to be posted to with comments that are inappropriate, to say the least. It seems that a Tarrant County judge found the comments libelous enough to order Topix to provide user information to plaintiffs, an order that goes against previous rulings that protect the anonymity of Internet commenters. Topix appears to be handing over only what is specifically required. Any ruling will likely be appealed and find its way to the state's Supreme Court where the debate will focus on freedom of speech and the nature of libel on the Internet. A ruling here could easily change the requirements for any site that allows users to post under user names instead of their real names.