Tim Hull reports:
A Colorado Internet service provider can at least temporarily shield the identities of subscribers who edited a Wikipedia page to say that high-end retailer Façonnable USA supports the terrorist group Hezbollah, a federal judge ruled.
Façonnable is part of the M1 Group, which was co-founded by the billionaire prime minister of Lebanon, Najib Makati.
In April, Façonnable sued a group of John Does in Colorado over anonymous comments made on the company’s Wikipedia page that the “M1 Group is purported to be a strong supporter of Hezbollah,” and “Customer’s (sic) of [Façonnable] should consider that their purchases provide support for an organization identified by the US government as a supporter of terrorism,” according to the federal complaint.
A magistrate judge granted the company’s request for expedited discovery to root out the identities of the posters, ordering Internet service provider Skybeam to reveal the names by June 3.
Skybeam, with the help of Washington D.C.-based Public Citizen, moved to stay the order.
U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello agreed with Skybeam and put the subpoena on hold.
Read more on Courthouse News.
Now there’s some John Does with a basis for fear.
Can you get an order of protection against Hezbollah?
And isn’t truth a defense against libel and slander provided that there is no intent to harm?