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Court Rules Anonymous Blogger Sued for Defamation May Be Unmasked

Posted Oct 26, 2009, 12:04 pm CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Corrected: A Tennessee judge has ruled that a husband and wife who operate a real estate business and a halfway house for recovering drug abusers may unmask an anonymous blogger who criticized them at his or her Stop Swartz blog.

The blogger accused the couple, Donald and Terry Keller Swartz of Old Hickory, of committing arson and being drug addicts themselves, Ars Technica reports. The blogger also asked readers to report any time they spotted one of the Swartzes.

The Swartzes sued on the grounds of defamation and invasion of privacy. They subpoenaed Google to reveal the blogger, and the blogger filed a motion to quash.

Judge Thomas Brothers ruled against the blogger.

“Internet anonymous speech is… Continue reading...



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