How safe is Okuma Steve

[Laxguy59]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/georgia-court-order-threatens-message-boards-everywhere

Georgia Court ruling on "Cyber Bullying" on Forums and message boards

As the owner and operator of the site, Respondent has the ability to remove posts in his capacity as the moderator. However, Respondent chose not to remove posts that were personally directed at [Petitioner Linda] Ellis and would cause a reasonable person to fear for her safety.

It's interesting, there's no evidence to look at what they deemed a serious threat, but the plaintiff called them " vile posts of blasphemy.”

Threats, near threats, or even excessive harassment will pose threat to the moderators of this sight based on this over-reaching ruling. Wonder how the court would apply this to non-paid mods like ours.

 

[jwhited]

Threatening another user is one of the very few offenses that warrant an instant, permanent ban from ODT.

 

[Beerman]

How do we know, if we cant see what was said?

 

[Laxguy59]

Threatening another user is one of the very few offenses that warrant an instant, permanent ban from ODT.

Yea, but it's still unclear what the actual material on the site was, the court seemed to indicate anything about her or with her name should have been removed.

 

[RHelton10]

I think the key word in this is that the moderator had the capacity and "chose" not to remove the threatening posts. Meaning that he/she had knowledge of the threat and did not act. We, all, as moderators respond quickly and swiftly to any and all threats towards an individual, both in open forums and in private messages, so I don't believe this would be the same type of situation. I am, however, not a lawyer; just my opinion.

 

[dougiemac]

... I am, however, not a lawyer...

but I play one on tv.

 

[Bulldawg165]

Threatening another user is one of the very few offenses that warrant an instant, permanent ban from ODT.

What are the other offenses that warrant such?

 

[RHelton10]

but I play one on tv.

 

[Hasselhoss]

Threatening another user is one of the very few offenses that warrant an instant, permanent ban from ODT.

Please delete that last PM I sent you and do not open it. thanks

 

[Laxguy59]

I think the key word in this is that the moderator had the capacity and "chose" not to remove the threatening posts. Meaning that he/she had knowledge of the threat and did not act. We, all, as moderators respond quickly and swiftly to any and all threats towards an individual, both in open forums and in private messages, so I don't believe this would be the same type of situation. I am, however, not a lawyer; just my opinion.

Well I wonder what they would consider a threat and how vigilant y'all should be. The claims of the forum owner were that none of these constituted a threat, but were only mean statements. That said the court ruled that all the content related to her should have been removed.

So lets say one day someone post about a Gun shop owner who's a real dick. And it goes on for a while getting pretty mean. Where do we draw the line? This decision doesn't really tell us. It just tells us that in the case it does cross the line based on their judgement that ALL related material has to be removed.