∞ Model forces Google to reveal identity of offensive blogger

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Canadian born model Liskula Cohen had enough. When a blogger in New York City made derogatory comments about her, she decided to fight back — and she’s winning, so far.

google_logoCohen wanted Google to reveal the identity of the blogger using its blogging software service, but the company refused. She then sued to force Google’s hand. Judge Joan Madden said that Cohen was entitled to sue the blogger for defamation and ordered Google to reveal the bloggers identity.

The blogger’s lawyer argued that the comments were not libelous because they were just opinions. He called the comments “trash talk.” The judge didn’t agree.

“The thrust of the blog is that the petitioner is a sexually promiscuous woman,” Judge Madden wrote in her judgment, noting that the comments were run alongside photos of Cohen in suggestive poses.

The blogger’s lawyer warned that this would open the floodgates for legal action.


  • http://www.basilweb.net Walt

    Hehehe… “the thrust of….”

    How appropriate.

  • Jim Dalrymple

    Get your mind out of the gutter Walt :)

  • Eric

    Imagine, people being held accountable for what they say. People should have the courage of their convictions, or they should shut up. There’s a legitimate reason to protect whistle blowers’ identities, but not mere blowhards.

  • James Gowan

    If she wins, that’ll blow all of my “what a whore” comments I make daily online. D@mn!

  • http://web.me.com/geoduck/Site/Welcome.html geoduck

    Though I value free speech I’m glad for this. The anonymity of the internet gives great power, it’s about time responsibility caught up.

    Speaking of which, is there some way to register and my ID on this site? I would hate to have someone posting as Geoduck. An avatar would be nice too.

  • Tim

    Oh baby, oh baby has the dam broken or what!!!
    Where O Where is my Google ID???
    Where O Where is my Blog ID???
    Portal managed identity policies and accountability for blogs?
    Just like security policies, identity policies are necessary to filter this issue out of the hands of millions of lawyers just chomping to make a killing from unsuspecting freedom of speech statements on line.
    Step two to this would be Google setting protectionist analytics within the blog statements to protect itself from reprocussions or moving the blog statement to your ownership and not thiers. Sound simulat to a Napster user ownership of object? One way or another, Google has to protect itself and rightfully so. How they failed to protect themselfs in this case is something they will have to pay for until the policies are enacted on all of us. Internet accountability is here and what you say online is accountable as it relates to the identity that you protrey when you say it. If you believe you are atonomous when you say it, then only that atonomous identity is accountable per say. Should be interesting how Google as well as all blog hosting venues initiate managed identity policies in the near future balancing civil liberties of freedom of speech and accountability. I believe the atonomous identity will be filtered out over the next decade so just be prepared to be responsible for what you say no matter what form. If what you say is true, then there should be no problem putting your true identity behind it. The true injustice here would be to allow Google and others to incorporate more advanced filtering mechanisms which are subjective and open another legal playing ground for lawyers and riots from rights advocates.
    A double edged sword, say what you want but tell me who is saying it so I can prove you wrong.

    Food for thought,