[Vision2020] Re: Vision 2020 Slander

[Tbertruss at aol.com]

All:

Anyone but the sort of person who might actually believe that story in the 
tabloids that aliens from another world are impregnating human women knows that 
all content on V2020 is to be viewed with skepticism.  There is no editor or 
fact checking person or persons or moderator who verifies content.  Anyone can 
literally claim anything in a V2020 post.

Bill London is an alien, a member of the Nommos life forms, from the star 
Sirius, plotting to take over Earth!  Really! Trust me!  For info on this star 
and the Nommos:

http://www.crystalinks.com/sirius.html


I find it laughable that Dickison feigns ignorance about the way V2020 works, 
and implies he will take action against First Step for V2020 content.  I do 
agree that some of the content posted to V2020 recently is just plain rude and 
inconsiderate.  But this does not make it legally actionable.

First Step is no more responsible for V2020 content than the phone company is 
responsible, for example, for someone who uses Verizon's phone lines to 
arrange illegal sales of stolen goods.  If the authorities contact Verizon about 
crime being committed with the assistance of their phone business, they can 
force Verizon to help law enforcement.  But Verizon cannot be held responsible for 
the original "criminal" conversations.  

Of course this is a criminal law issue.  Dickison's complaint is merely 
civil, a claim of personal damage to reputation or livelihood from statements 
posted to V2020.  Dickison must know his complaint has a very weak legal standing.

This scenario has been sliced and diced several times in recent years on 
V2020.  Anyone who has followed this forum knows that it would be difficult to 
prove any substantial damage to reputation or livelihood based on postings to a 
voluntary public Internet list serve offered free to the public.  And the 
person who posted the damaging claims to V2020 would be the responsible party, not 
First Step, if I understand correctly.

It is possible that if someone was using V2020 to, for example, post coded 
messages that could be read off the Internet to communicate information critical 
to the commission of a crime, that First Step could be legally forced to take 
action regarding this content.  But again this is a criminal matter, not 
merely civil.  Or if First Step was knowingly selling advertising on V2020 that 
was promoted by libelous content creating a scandal of great public interest 
that was damaging someone's reputation or livelihood ... maybe ... but this is 
NOT what is happening.

The tabloids get away with astonishing scandalous content aimed at public 
figures presented on a national stage publicly viewable by anyone in the check 
out line at your local Supermarket, yet taking legal action for this content is 
very difficult.

But is Dickison a public or a private person?  This is an issue in slander 
and libel suits.  Public figures have far less grounds to sue for libel or 
slander than individuals leading a very private life.

Ted Moffett
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