Thanet Life

Wake up smell the coffee cheap lap tops phones free wifi no chance of finding them if they dont to be found ask google ?

Anonymous free speech is a wonderful privilege and should be preserved at all costs, however like all good things is subject to abuse. The accessibility and efficiency of anonymous blogging technologies has caused this good thing to be abused in terrible ways.

I personally had my career, business, relationships, and job prospects utterly devastated by a relentless and malicious anonymous blogger. Although I have positively identified the individual, (who has been recently jailed for other charges and is awaiting trial in two states), the legacy of destruction persists. Thankfully I was able to turn adversity into opportunity and now earn an honest living assisting other victims of Internet libel; most people are not so fortunate.

I am passionately committed to improving community awareness of this problem. I like to use the following analogy to help “future victims” of Internet libel understand the anguish and destruction that comes with this 21st Century pandemic:

Imagine if you will a farmer who has had his or her livestock destroyed and barns and fields burned by a vandal; the devastating effect on his or her livelihood does not take Einstein to imagine. Whereas, a white-collar worker, fashion model or other intangible service provider who relies on his or her reputation to find new business, and for that matter keep existing business, can be as utterly destroyed as thoroughly as the farmer described above as a result of an effective internet smear campaign. The difference being that the community and judges can more easily relate to the farmer’s calamity.

An inherent weakness of anonymity is that it has less credibility when considered by intelligent and objective readers. Notwithstanding, there is a new dynamic with this problem of malicious anonymous blogging. Although the assertions and allegations may lack credibility, when it comes to the victim being considered for employment or contract awards, the person carrying out due diligence needs to look at the risks associated with attaching themselves to the victim. Although they may see through the diatribe, the decision maker needs to consider what their customers will think if they are not so sophisticated or objective.

Respectfully submitted, Michael Roberts. (Anonymous blogger bounty hunter)

http://www.Rexxfield.com
— Michael Roberts Internet libel victim’s advocate

Whilst I would in no way condone the kind of malicious smear campaigns that your 'Anonymous blogger bounty hunter' speaks of, it is clear that he is commenting from the US and presumably has no concept of the UK libel laws, which are, by pretty much common legal consensus, the most draconian in the world, which is why we have foreign billionaires lining up in the Strand to file vexatious law suits.

I take it you are not a libel lawyer either, Mr Moores, otherwise you would not be prejudicing a potential action which you clearly know very little about.

No I'm not but I'm intimately familiar with the process from personal experience.

In this case we have no repetition of any libellous allegation or statement or indeed any direct reference to the matter in question. Rather less than might properly be reported in the press.

Then how do you explain your comment:

'...two of our local bloggers are reportedly the subject of litigation as a consequence of publishing unsubstantiated rumours which would send any good libel lawyer pale'?

I have seen no reports that these individuals are the subject of litigation. Nor have I seen any evidence that the rumours were 'unsubstantiated', or any 'good libel lawyers going pale'.

Any newspaper editor worth their salt would themsleves go pale at what you have written.

Speaking as someone who evidently has a much better understanding of the law in this area than you, I would urge caution. Bloggers have access to libel lawyers too.

You might like to know that I have taken a screen grab of this post should it be required as evidence by either of the bloggers you refer to.

Thank you for your genuinely concerned advice 11:56.

Should any person or persons believe that this post refers to them in an innaccurate and or defamatory manner, then I would be happy to cooperate and edit or remove the content to avoid offense.

I'm easily contactable by email should such a request arise and he / she / they wish to give notice of such!

Michael Child has comments on his weblog at https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3575321478441277410&postID=7298985660741998151

Thank you 1:30, specualtion and detail on the same, also on Big News Margate in the comments section.

Hopefully this will set a precident & prevent people from publishing false allegations (maybe TDC should consult their lawyers too, that should make a few bloggers stick to facts!).

We should ALL have comment moderation on at all times imo.

Luke Edwards has chimed in on the subject of libel on http://thanetwaves.blogspot.com/2009/11/libel-to-kill.html.