S-R must provide info on anonymous commenter (Idaho)

The Spokesman-Review ^ | July 10, 2012 | Thomas Clouse

[Ken H]

The Spokesman-Review must provide information that could identify an anonymous reader who typed a disparaging online comment about the chairwoman of the Kootenai County Republican Party in February, an Idaho judge ruled Tuesday.

The attorney for the chairwoman, Tina Jacobson, subpoenaed information about the identities of three Huckleberries Online readers who commented under assumed names below a photograph featuring Jacobson.

Under the name “almostinnocentbystander,” the commenter questioned whether $10,000 reportedly missing from the Kootenai County Central Committee might be “stuffed inside Tina’s blouse.”

Two other commenters, “Phaedrus” and “outofstatetater,” also typed comments responding to the original post about Jacobson’s blouse.

The comments were deleted from Huckleberries Online after S-R blogger Dave Oliveria discovered them, but the first post was visible for about 2 ½ hours.

In late April, Jacobson filed a lawsuit against “John and/or Jane Doe.” Her attorney, C. Matthew Andersen, subpoenaed the names of the commenters so the suit could proceed, and the newspaper responded with a motion to quash that request.

[cynwoody]

Seems like the commenter did not make a positive assertion, but merely asked an impolite question. And, in any case, Tina's a public figure.

Organizations such as the SR should keep their logs in memory and reboot every morning.

[presently no screen name]

What are the chances if the commenter works for ABC?

[presently no screen name]

What are the chances the commenter works for ABC?