Free Speech... Will it Survive?

A group of us started an anti defamation blog at http://www.libel-hunter.blogspot.com becuase we have come accross some bizarre accusations aimed at so called 'crusader' scam sites. The  blog and forum is intended as a research tool, gathering information on defamation cases, the impact of these and the more niche question of whether some of the 'crusader' sites are being used for criminal activity. We have been questioned about whether we are against free speech and wanted to put our opinion forward, and invite people to leave their stories and experience of being libelled on the web, the affect this has had and their opinions.

 

We believe that freedom of speech is a fundamental right that all of us are born with (if we are lucky enough to born in the right country), however, the abuse of this freedom should be as abhorrent to free speech advocates as it is to us.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Think back to your days in the playground or at college, I am sure all of us have experienced name calling and bullying in some form or another, I know I have. That feeling of helplessness in being able to respond, for fear of further bullying or name calling or being ostracized from ‘the group’ is a very real fear that has manifested itself in violent acts such as the Columbine tragedy. How is bullying on the web any different? It’s not, in fact it is worse.

 

People who haven’t even met you can make a decision about you or your company based on false allegations posted by ex lovers, employees, or some guy down the bar who doesn’t like the look of your tie. If this is allowed to continue unabated, we have to be looking at anarchy. A world in which only the wealthy can protect themselves from libelous statements was one in which publishing those kind of statements was an expensive exercise. Now everybody with a web connection can do it but it is still as expensive to fight for your reputation as it was many years ago.

 

Creating laws that protect libelous statements on the web is a recipe for disaster and a license for those with bad intent to ruin the lives of others. The ‘sticks and stones…’ attitude that we teach our kids to deal with bullies is OK for the playground, but a little more hard to swallow when falsehoods are printed for the entire world to see. Imagine, if you will, a world where blackmail is a ‘government sponsored activity’ because that is where we are going. Ridiculous! I here you say. Not so, there are already many cases in courts as we speak where web sites have the veneer of helping victims of nefarious activity on the web, who have been posted unqualified, poorly (if at all) researched information about companies and individuals and have offered to ‘help’ the accused/company have them removed.

 

One case invloves a $50,000 blackmail attempt. The sites defense? Freedom of speech and the ISP protection laws. This is becoming a business and its needs to be stopped. The Bocca della Verità is situated in the atrium of St. Mary's in Cosmedin church in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Rome. It was believed that by putting your hand in this mouth and swearing falsely, you could not withdraw it. Other lesser known ‘mouths of truth’ are in Florence. They were carved lions heads used by the local government for citizens to leave notes accusing fellow citizens of a crime, these were widely abused for nefarious purposes and many innocent victims were persecuted because of it. The Internet is becoming the new Bocca Della Verita for sure. 

 

Highlighting the problem is nothing if you do no suggest a solution, so what is our solution? Allow free speech, allow people to question our government, our public figures, our celebrities and yes, even our next door neighbors, but if someone has printed something that is incorrect and proven to be libelous then let the average person have his day in court, facing his accuser and let the chips fall where they may.