Is It Legal?
Published December 02, 2005
"I didn't want to ruin someone's life. So, they have the option to pay and have it deleted. But, I can't control if you are player and a bunch of women post things about you. That is just a karma thing."
She said she gets about four removal requests a day.
In one recent case, City of Kirkland v. Sheehan, Bill Sheehan, a man in Washington State says he put up a website in an effort to make the police more publicly accountable. He published information about local police officers from the City of Kirkland and other municipalities in Washington including their names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, spouses' names and more. The police officers claimed this required them to enhance their personal and job security measures as well as expend funds in response to the listings. The case also alleges the site caused stress to both them and their families. This allegation is similar to the one made by the group attempting to shut down the cheating man site.
The ruling on the case held that the First Amendment protected the site: "[I]n the absence of a credible specific threat of harm, the publication of lawfully obtained addresses and telephone numbers, while certainly unwelcome to those who had desired a greater degree of anonymity, is traditionally viewed as having the ability to promote political speech. Publication may arguably expose wrongdoers and/or facilitate peaceful picketing of homes or worksites and render other communication possible."
As for the cheating man site? A former U.S. attorney Scott Christie was quoted in the New Jersey Star Ledger,
"Yes, it's all legal. If I were the owners of this site, I wouldn't be concerned. They're providing an outlet for people to express their opinion. It's much like hosting a bulletin board for people with a common interest,. People are giving their opinion about other people — they're entitled to it under the First Amendment."
And this from Canada.com:
According to a privacy lawyer from Halifax, (snip)"If the person's reputation is in Canada, and they are in Canada, and likely the person who posted the information is in Canada, there's more than enough connection for Canadian defamation law to apply," says David T.S. Fraser, chair of the privacy practice group at McInnes Cooper. But he hastens to add the statements aren't considered defamatory if they're true.
"If you're a slug," says Mr. Fraser, "it's only appropriate people know you're a slug."
And think about this: The people who post the pictures/profiles on any site are making an "allegation" — nothing more. Many of them aren't offering evidence that is irrefutable and verifiable other than their account. With sites that do, they make sure they have evidence. But what are the reasons for doing this? Is it a warning, catharsis, revenge or a credible threat? That's something the poster needs to ask themselves before they get into a very sticky legal situation.
- Is It Legal?
- Published: December 02, 2005
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Culture
- Writer: Fighter
- Fighter's BC Writer page
- Fighter's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
I don't believe the Web site allows the publication of addresses and phone numbers. This isn't the only site and this site doesn't post photos. I know of another Web site where photos can be posted.
The laws about defamation of character, slander and libel require that the information be untrue, the person targeted have his/her reputation seriously damaged and that person must not be a public figure.
The Web site in question doesn't seem to allow for outside search (in other words, allowing the names of the cheaters to be subject to key word searches). So the exposure to peers that would constitute damage isn't there.
I think something that might be more open to litigation would be the sale of photos of ex-girlfriends on eBay. The sale of images for profit usually requires a signed release form.
the following websites are "exposure sites." some, I noted DO allow for a person's information (not the ones mentioned in the article)
datingpsychos.com
ripoffreport.com
also if you surf someone's nickname, sometimes their real name can be found and a quick perusal thru zabasearch or bigyellow can pretty much tell you anything you want to know.
Wow!! Great article - a lot of things I never really thought about or paid much attention to!
Fantastic article and it will be quite interesting to see how this all plays out. When exposing the psychopath/sociopath, abuser, cheater, bigamist, the con artist---keep in mind the definitions of defamation, slander, and libel. If you expose, be prepared to back up your statements with court documentation and other concrete evidence of the abuser's behavior. And let us not forget the rights given to us under the First Amendment of the US Constitution....VERY IMPORTANT!
I love the article! It is so true when she asks "What are we to do with our pain?" Many people don't understand the agony that a victim goes through without closure. On our site, we talk about closure in our free turtorial--there is conceptual closure (the ideal kind) and retrobutive closure (the kind that makes you feel great and requires nothing from the abuser). These exposure sites are the second kind. Go check it out.
Thanks Fighhter for a great article.
You are completely off base, my current wife is pissed off about a post about myself by a vindictive ex, that I had arrested because she's a psycho. If you support these kind of people, and the lies they spread, then you are one too. I'm seriously considering filing suit, because everything taht was said about me was a lie, nothing can be proved, however I can prove the obosite, court records and arrest records don't lie.
Great article! The owners of websites like womansavers.com and bashmyex.com are not liable because they are not the authors. If untruths are posted, it is up to the accused party to prove what the author wrote is false. These types of websites are protected under 1996 Communications Decency Act and also the First Amendment, Freedom of Speech.
This site allows pictures to be posted, however they post pictures of the women their ex's lied to as well. Most of the posts are vicious, lies and the mods back up the ones that have been cheated on. Names and names of towns/cities are posted with the pictures, as well as places these people can be found. This opens a can of worms. If the posted person (usually a woman)not the man that cheated, where to be hurt or killed, who is liable. Where is thier protection under law. Because the spouse cheated, does that make it ok for the other person to be victimized either by the spouse that feels justified by their actions because they are angry and hurt? Last time I checked you cant batter someone or hit someone because you are angry. So, it is lawful to put them and possible family members in jeopardy? I would hope in this country it is not the case.
cheaternews.com is allowing women to become endangered.
I found this site reading a profile posted for Phil Kassel on Don't Date Him Girl. This site does a great service and empowers women to stay safe and protect themselves from men who abuse women even through the church.
It's the new companion to online dating. Its a shame that someone's history can be plastered all over the web but women need to know about men who abuse women. I'm a guy and I am friends with all women I have dated. Things ended on good terms and with men of character the woman doesn't end up despising the ex. I have a friend that was posted and although he will never admit it he deserves to be posted for what he did.
Thanks for great information. Phil Kassel and other abusers need to be exposed so that women can see the warning signs and avoid being mistreated.
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Gee, that opens up another way that we could be victimized again, however, I do believe that victims of these type of predators should be allowed a voice. It is ok to print the all ready public stuff such as the criminal backgrounds as that is all public anyway. However, it takes common sense not to publish the addresses or phone numbers of the predators, think in my opinion of the law, they are protected. We as victims need to change the laws, so that if predators find their victims on the internet, they should be banned from ever using a computer again, or any form of communication that will allow them to find a victim. Remember I became a victim through the United States Postal System. The good old snail mail approach. Sometimes the laws will never cover what they need to cover, and predators being predators will always find a loophole. We need to continue to educate the public so that there will be less victims, and more justice.