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police director sues for critical bloggers' names
Published Jul. 25, 2008
When I saw this article my first thought that it was about citizens complaining about the Memphis police force, but when I read it, it turned out to also include officers on the Memphis police force.
The basic issue is that Officers and Citizens are blogging some very negative stuff about the Departments administration and the administration is going to the courts to have the identities of the bloggers revealed.
I get suspicious when an organization is getting criticized online the first thing they try to do is shut the people up. Maybe the officers are malcontents and the citizens just have a problem with police in general, I don’t know. However, cases such as this have the possibility of sending a strong and ominous message to bloggers and the free flow of information on the internet.
What do you think?
--------------------------- Part of article link to full article at bottom ---------------------------
Site popular with citizens, officers
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin and the city of Memphis have filed a lawsuit to learn who operates a blog harshly critical of Godwin and his department.
The lawsuit asks AOL to produce all information related to the identity of an e-mail address linked to MPD Enforcer 2.0, a blog popular with police officers that has been extremely critical of police leadership at 201 Poplar.
"In what could be a landmark case of privacy and the 1st Amendment," the anonymous bloggers write on the site, "Godwin has illegally used his position and the City of Memphis as a ram to ruin the Constitution of the United States.
"Some members of the Enforcer 2.0 have contacted their attorneys and we are in the process of filing a lawsuit against Larry and the City of Memphis. What's wrong Larry? The truth hurt?"
It wasn't clear if the lawsuit is aimed at shutting down the site or if it's part of an effort to stop leaks that might affect investigations.
Whatever the reason, Internet and free-speech advocates said they had serious problems with the city's actions.
"You can complain about the government, and you should be able to do that without fear of retaliation or threatening actions on the part of the people in these positions," said Lillie Coney, associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington-based watchdog group. "I guess they've kind of annoyed them at some level, but you really don't want to see law enforcement or government resources spent in this way."
The bloggers, who operate under the name of Dirk Diggler -- the name of the porn star in "Boogie Nights" -- say their site provides an important service to officers and citizens.
"This is another attempt at disrupting an outlet for officers to gather and complain about the administration," they said on the site.
"Further, this allows us unrestricted communication with the citizens of Memphis. The citizens should be made aware of the scandals that rock the administration and shudder the rocky foundation in which they operate today."
The bloggers also said city attorneys earlier this year wrote a threatening letter on city letterhead to a company that produced T-shirts for the bloggers.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jul/22/police-director-sues-find-identity-blogger-critica/
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Time to stand on your hind feet like a human being and take a stand.
GOLO member since October 16, 2007
July 25, 2008 10:00 a.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
July 25, 2008 9:48 a.m.
GOLO member since April 10, 2008
July 25, 2008 9:42 a.m.
That is completely different than what is going on in the article. If you are using your company's computer and network they are rightfully allowed to monitor the sites you visit. They have a network to maintain. If you are using your personal computer and personal web connection then it is none of their business where you are going.
GOLO member since July 13, 2007
July 25, 2008 9:39 a.m.
GOLO member since May 23, 2008
July 25, 2008 9:38 a.m.
GOLO member since October 24, 2007
July 25, 2008 9:36 a.m.
July 25, 2008 9:29 a.m.
All of the "what if's"......
July 25, 2008 9:25 a.m.
GOLO member since February 12, 2008
July 25, 2008 9:22 a.m.
RIGHT ON! LOL.
GOLO member since March 19, 2008
July 25, 2008 9:19 a.m.
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