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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Freedom of speech

The one thing I have always liked about blogger was that they didn't try to censor your blog posts. It provides a free forum for writing just about anything you want. But I discovered the downside as well. It allows people to write just about anything they want.

Hypocrisy is a quandary I struggle with on a regular basis.

This is my cryptic way to say that I've gone invitation only to block a cyber stalker who first found my daddy blog and now has oozed his way into this blog. So I had to make both invite only to keep him from leaving unwanted comments and worse, links to a cruel blog he started to slander my loved ones.

The blog is cruel, untrue and mean spirited. And despite its libelous (or slanderous) content, blogger won't do a thing about it. They are merely the conduit for this forum, not its guardian. They will only remove a blog if a court determines it is libelous or slanderous. So I imagine there aren't many blogs removed. Because anyone who has tried to figure out the process to stop a cyber stalker will discover that it is a maze of misinformation and not a lot of help.

The Internet has truly become a stalker's paradise. It is a jungle of nooks and crannies that are easy for nut jobs to slip in and out of as they shoot their poison darts. Then they slink back to their pitiful, anonymous lives.

The true pitiful thing here is that I know exactly who the stalker is. And short of costly legal action there seems nothing much we can do to stop him other than block and ignore him in hopes he'll crawl back under his rock and stay there.

Freedom of speech is a bitch some times.

4 comments:

R. said...

I wouldn't say it's a stalker's paradise so much as a different medium with different ways of dealing with the offending persons.

Speak softly and carry a big stick pretty much applies. Moderate your comments on your blog but still keep a copy of comments. Create a special rule in your inbox to route offending emails directly to archival so you don't see them (but they are saved for evidence in court.)

I'm sure you know how to defend you and yours from physical threats.

On the matter of slander, trolls lose credibility quickly with anyone who really matters. Give them plenty of rope and they'll hang themselves.

JP/deb said...

I agree with R ... my troll faded away after she felt like she had done her damage by exposing my previous blog to colleagues. There are sick, mean people out there and it's too bad that they can worm their way into our creative forums.

Sorry you're going through this.
:(

Peace, JP/deb

Anonymous said...

It really is very disappointing when you have to go down this road Tim. I know as I've had to do it a couple of times. It's one thing when they write scurrilous lies that only effect the blog author but when it starts straying into family territory then enough is more than enough.

It's terrible when you know who it is and you are powerless to do anything about it isn't it? Cockroaches...all of them.

Naughti Biscotti said...

He'll find your facebook page next Tim. At least there you have to "friend" someone before they can leave comments.

I agree with R. Document every comment in case this ends up in court. You never know how far he will go.
I'm so sorry you guys are going through this.