Update on the Seigenthaler Wikipedia Defamation Case
posted by Daniel Solove
Paul Secunda over at Workplace Prof Blog brings news about an update to the Seigenthaler Wikipedia defamation case I blogged about recently. In the case, an anonymous individual wrote in Seigenthaler’s Wikipedia entry that Seigenthaler was involved in President Kennedy’s assassination. Seigenthaler complained that he was unable to track down the identity of the alleged defamer.
Enter Daniel Brandt, who earlier had complained about information in his Wikipedia profile he claimed was false. I blogged about Brandt’s case a while back. According to the New York Times:
Using information in Mr. Seigenthaler’s article and some online tools, Mr. Brandt traced the computer used to make the Wikipedia entry to the delivery company in Nashville. Mr. Brandt called the company and told employees there about the Wikipedia problem but was not able to learn anything definitive.
Mr. Brandt then sent an e-mail message to the company, asking for information about its courier services. A response bore the same Internet Protocol address that was left by the creator of the Wikipedia entry, offering further evidence of a connection.
Paul Secunda nicely explains what happened next:
Chase later resigned from his job because he did not want to cause problems for his company. Seigenthaler has urged Chase’s boss to rehire him, but so far Chase is still without a job.
Oh, the wrath of bloggers!
More details at the NY Times article and at Paul Secunda’s post.
Related Posts:
1. Solove, Curtailing Anonymity on Wikipedia
2. Solove, Fake Biographies on Wikipedia
4. Solove, A Victory for Anonymous Blogging
5. Solove, Is Anonymous Blogging Possible?
6. Solove, Using Lawsuits to Unmask Anonymous Bloggers
7. Solove, Article III Groupie Disrobed: Thoughts on Blogging and Anonymity
December 11, 2005 at 9:40 am
Posted in: Anonymity, First Amendment, Privacy, Wiki
Print This Post
Responses (1)
Workplace Prof Blog - December 11, 2005 at 8:16 pm
Beware the Wrath of Bloggers III: Wikipedia Hoax Causes Seigenthaler Pranskter to Lose Job
Some of you may have been following the saga of John Seigenthaler, Sr., former aide and friend of the late Robert F. Kennedy, and founder of the First Amendment Center, who claimed that he was allegedly defamed by the on-line
Leave a Reply