Drunk / Abusive posters beware............

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

Maybe something for 'anonymous' posters to think about?

 

Taken from today's MyFreeSport Magazine:

 

"Since the launch of the Sport website a few weeks ago, we have learned just how keen many of you are to offer up your opinion on anything from the booing of Frank Lampard to shedding a tear over the rugby.

Fans of Sheffield Wednesday, though, are about to learn a costly lesson. After venting their dissatisfaction with the club's chairman, directors and shareholders using the virtual world of blogs and messageboards, they now face expensive libel claims. A judge has ruled that the owner of the website owlstalk.co.uk must reveal the identity of anonymous posters whose comments amounted to what lawyers termed 'a sustained campaign of vilification' against the club's bigwigs.

Now the three whose postings were deemed most defamatory are to be unmasked, their online aliases revealed before a judge. Dominic Bray, representing Sheffield Wednesday, said 'Websites are using their anonymity to make comments, but if somebody is making defamatory comments they should be held responsible - that's the law'. Blog & Forum abusers beware, then, although we know that Sport readers are far too clever for all that - or too wise to get caught, anyway."

 

[and1inthetree]

read that a while ago.

 

thought the funniest thing was that the mentalist is probably on their website. owl stalk.

[Richard Macey]

I know a little bit about this from a Sheff Wed fan I know through following England, this has been going on for quite a few months now and some fans are facing being made bankrupt due to the solicitors costs etc...and it's not just Sheff Wed who are suing their own fans but their manager (Brian Laws) has taken out his own legal preceedings too !!

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

True.... but he was probably using his mum's computer, leaving her open to prosecution!

[Greg_Dyke]

read and tremble...

 

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2007/2375.html

[Nutchutney]

Supporters of a football club have the right to make their feelings known when the club is under-performing. The vast majority of supporters make less money in a year than some players make in a day and it is frustrating when these well-paid individuals go about their job in a poor and inefficient manner.

I agree that we supporters should keep our comments away from being abusive or libellous. As the judge said: "The law is the law" and message boards should be aware of that.

[YELLOW]

In my opinion, you shouldn't say anything on a messageboard that you wouldn't say to that person face to face.

[Kel]

F*ck off you [****!!****]!

[and1inthetree]

kel is a goat poker.

[Kel]

And I was expecting abuse.

[and1inthetree]

feel free to sue me should i post anything that isn't true kel, you camel raper.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

tree.. can you please stop this... oh, and it's time to give her back now!

[and1inthetree]

your turn is it? rightyo, i'll have mr clifford bring her right over.

[Kel]

Originally Posted By: and1inthetree

feel free to sue me should i post anything that isn't true kel, you camel raper.

Now I've really got the hump.

[Eastside Urchin]

I thought that sheff wed had dropped any legal action against thee fans??