A defamatory posting on the internet that shows up on Google can be professionally and personally devastating. The disclosure of personal information to outright lies in cyberspace can cause very real embarrassment and lost opportunities in the real world. Unfortunately much of the pertinent law in this area was passed before the internet became the ubiquitous tool that it is today.
A very real and practical problem is frequently attempting to locate or bring to justice those who engage in online bullying behavior. Very often the identity of a poster is unknown or only strongly suspected. The information available to a victim will be spotty: only the first name or online name will be known. The tools to discover the true identity of a defamer are cumbersome, but, when properly executed, can be very reliable in identifying online assailants.
For example, one common method used to track down unknown posters is known as a “John Doe Complaint.” Such a complaint begins by filing a lawsuit against “John Doe.” Once this lawsuit is filed an attorney can then subpoena the records from online providers. At a very minimum this will provide as ISP address to make a positive ID, and at the very best it will disclose some or all of the personal information of an account holder.
Finding creative ways to use the legal system at your disposal is part of the practical legal solutions that the San Francisco bay area law Firm of Jones & Devoy offers to its clients. Our Firm always offers free consultations on internet bullying cases to help you figure out if a legal route is appropriate for your case.
