Rosemary Port: 'Skanks of NYC' Blogger Ousted by Courts

by Blaine Metzgar | August 21, 2009 at 06:22 am

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Rosemary Port, the blogger behind 'Skanks of NYC', was ousted after a Manhattan judge ordered Google to reveal the identity of the cynical web-entity. Port first came under fire after model Liskula Cohen got upset over being called a skank on a blog by the, then-anonymous, Skankblog founder. Cohen took her wrath to the courts and sought to reveal the identity of the author behind the blog.

Legal eagles said yesterday that a Manhattan judge had no choice but to order Google to out "Skanks of NYC" blogger Rosemary Port, who is in hot water for using epithets to describe a model.

"The First Amendment protection for anonymous speech does not shield an individual from making false accusations or defamatory statements," said Fordham professor Joel Reidenberg, who teaches privacy law.

Google didn't appeal Justice Joan Madden's order to out Port -- hardly a surprise, according to Moglen.

"Once you've decided to put your identity into Google's hands, then you have to assume your identity is only protected as long as Google's willing to pay its lawyers to protect it," Moglen said.

So beware bloggers, the big G ain't got your back.

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