Sue Scheff: Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of ReputationDefender Specializes in Online Defamation

Shortcomings in the Law Allow Cyberdefamation Campaigns, Legal Expert Says

Read entire article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/Story?id=6960397&page=1

The Law as an Accomplice

Legal experts, however, emphasized that the law protects Web sites like Topix. Even if the comments are considered defamatory by a court of law, Topix has no legal obligation to take the content down.

Defenders of the legal landscape argue that a change could stifle open discussion and free speech. But others maintain that in stories like this, regardless of who emerges, once the veil of anonymity is lifted, it is the law itself that is a co-conspirator.

“The law as it currently stands is an accomplice because it creates no incentive whatsoever for Web sites to review or police themselves from content that is potentially devastating to real people and real lives,” Michael Fertik, a lawyer who specializes in online defamation, told ABCNews.com.

Part of the problem, Fertik continued, is that laws that made sense at the birth of the Internet age have not matured. It takes years to redress online defamation problems under the present regime. But, in the meantime, libelous comments easily found through search engines can sideline both personal and professional lives.

Although privacy and free speech advocates worry that changes to the law could “chill” online speech, Fertik argued that “the law can easily catch up without destroying speech.”
But until then?

“The law provides the red dye for the scarlet letter,” Fertik said. “It provides the ink for the tattoo that people create on Web sites like this.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/Story?id=6960397&page=1

The Web is Not Anonymous

My case and the unprecedented jury verdict for damages of over $11M has gained national and international attention. There are more and more people now fighting back against Cyberbullying and Internet Harassment.Take a moment to find out more about Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy.

Read More about how The Web is Not Anonymous by Dozier Internet Law:

Dozier Internet Law: The Web is Not Anonymous

Dozier Internet Law chases a lot of scofflaws. Sometimes the subject matter is copyright infringement, sometimes trademark infringement, often hacking and defamation. A reporter interviewing me last week was surprised to learn that individuals posting information online were not entitled to absolute anonymity and was surprised that you could subpoena information to identify the source of the publication of defamatory information in the airline industry. That got me to thinking a little about the knowledge base of most netizens.

Yes, you can be identified.For every instance in which Public Citizen wins a case preventing the disclosure of the identity, I suspect they turn down dozens of cases they know they can't win. There is no absolute right to privacy or anonymity online. Identities are disclosed everyday in litigation through a process called "discovery". And most people leave pretty good tracks.

If the plaintiff is obviously going to lose the case, the courts won't let the plaintiff use discovery to identify a defendant. But if the case is arguably valid, there is no problem with issuing extensive and far ranging discovery to locate and identify a defendant. And it is a process used often by lawyers, but an issue not publicized by the extreme left wingers very often. That way, each "victory" they claim sounds significant. But most, frankly, are irrelevant or at least not significant.

At Dozier Internet Law we go after these anonymous types often, and with great success. Rarely does Public Citizen get involved. When they do, their involvement is an anomaly. We don't publicize all of the cases in which we are identifying, through discovery, anonymous scofflaws, but from the volume of press release type emails and blog entries flowing from Public Citizen, I can understand this reporter's misunderstanding.

Sue Scheff - Free Speech vs Internet Defamation

Read through this Blog and you will see that free speech is still in place but it will not condone defamation.

Blogging is fun, the Internet can be educational - but remember, what you post today can come back to haunt you tomorrow. And could be costly to you!

Sue Scheff: Free Speech and Online Harassment

My case and the unprecedented jury verdict for damages of over $11M has gained national and international attention. There are more and more people now fighting back against Cyberbullying and Internet Harassment.Take a moment to find out more about Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy.

Read More about how The Web is Not Anonymous by Dozier Internet Law:

Dozier Internet Law: The Web is Not Anonymous

Dozier Internet Law chases a lot of scofflaws. Sometimes the subject matter is copyright infringement, sometimes trademark infringement, often hacking and defamation. A reporter interviewing me last week was surprised to learn that individuals posting information online were not entitled to absolute anonymity and was surprised that you could subpoena information to identify the source of the publication of defamatory information in the airline industry. That got me to thinking a little about the knowledge base of most netizens.Yes, you can be identified. For every instance in which Public Citizen wins a case preventing the disclosure of the identity, I suspect they turn down dozens of cases they know they can't win. There is no absolute right to privacy or anonymity online. Identities are disclosed everyday in litigation through a process called "discovery". And most people leave pretty good tracks. If the plaintiff is obviously going to lose the case, the courts won't let the plaintiff use discovery to identify a defendant. But if the case is arguably valid, there is no problem with issuing extensive and far ranging discovery to locate and identify a defendant. And it is a process used often by lawyers, but an issue not publicized by the extreme left wingers very often. That way, each "victory" they claim sounds significant. But most, frankly, are irrelevant or at least not significant.

At Dozier Internet Law we go after these anonymous types often, and with great success. Rarely does Public Citizen get involved. When they do, their involvement is an anomaly. We don't publicize all of the cases in which we are identifying, through discovery, anonymous scofflaws, but from the volume of press release type emails and blog entries flowing from Public Citizen, I can understand this reporter's misunderstanding.

Sue Scheff: Cyber Slander, Internet Defamation, Online Harassment and Free Speech

Since winning my unprecedented case against Internet Defamation, many people contact me looking for lawyers that specialize in Internet Law.

David Pollack, Miami, FL - was my attorney that won the $11.3M jury verdict for damages. Visit his website at www.davidpollacklaw.com

John Dozier, Washington D.C. and offices in NY and CA- specializes in Internet Law and more. Visit his comprehensive website at www.cybertriallawyer.com

Internet Law is a growing area - and more and more lawyers are learning more about this. Thanks to the new Cyberbullying laws, this can help more plaintiffs take a strong stand against being harassed online without infringing on their first amendment.

If you don't need a lawyer, I continue to recommend ReputationDefender as an alternative or in combination with a lawyer.

Sue Scheff - Podcasts on E-Venge

My new Podcasts website will be updated again shortly. The subject of Internet Slander, Cyberbullying and Cyber Safety is a growing concern among everyone. Remember, free speech will not condone defamation.

Sue Scheff - Protecting your Children Online

Daily I received phone calls and emails from parents with concerns about their kids Internet Usage as well as what they are reading on their Social Networking pages such as MySpace.Many of the kids today are not aware of the lasting effect a humorous picture today can cause for the future.

Our children today are the same kids that will be applying for colleges and jobs several years from now. However, to a child/teen, that seems like a lifetime away.As a parent, we can help monitor their activity by always keeping your lines of communication open.

Another option for parents is Reputation Defender MyChild. This service will send you monthly reports on your child's name and what is being said about them. Many parents have signed up for this service, and personally - I think it is a priceless in today's unregulated cyberspace.

Protecting our children comes natural to most parents - now we have to expand our protection to the expanding world of the web.

As a Parent Advocate, I am contining to promote Cyber Safety. I have personally meet with a Florida Senator several times as well as my Congresswoman and several attorneys. We will continue to fight for Internet Safety not only for children, but for everyone. My book, Wit's End will bring more resources for parents.

By Sue Scheff, Parents Universal Resource Experts

Sue Scheff: Defending Yourself Online

True or false, the information people find about you on the Web can have a big impact on your life. Here are five techniques to make sure that what people read about you is good (or at least true).

Click Here for the full article.

Defending yourself online has became a serious concern for many people.

The lack of regulations in Cyberspace means you have to learn to maintain your own Google Image.As both a victim and survivor of Internet Defamation, I know first hand the toll this can take on a person and their family. I fought back and won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages of $11.3M.

Free Speech does not condone defamation!

Sue Scheff New Podcasts Website on Internet Abuse

Check out my new Podcasts website. Internet Abuse, Internet Defamation, Internet Slander, and Cyberbullying is a serious concern in today's expanding cyber world. I will continue to be a voice to keep the wild, wild web safe.

Sue Scheff: Free Speech or Lack of Parenting?

I was contacted by CNN News in regards to this recent story.

As a parent advocate, I am proactive in helping parents protect their children in Cyberspace - whether it is monitoring their MySpace account - or using other protective measures such as Reputation Defender/MyChild to monitor your child’s privacy - but this story completely shocked me.

How can a parent condone a 13 year old writing about a principal in sexual ways? Where is this coming from? The parent is claiming their son has “free speech” - and they are correct about that, but when your 8th grader is calling someone a rapist or child molester without any substantiated evidence, in my opinion, this could be considered defamation - and as my beliefs continues - “Free Speech does not condone defamation.” Furthermore - the writings of “giving students anal” or “jacking off in my office” - is absolutely disgusting that a 13 year old writes this way. This is my personal opinion.

Read Below:

FEBRUARY 21–The parents of an Ohio boy who was expelled this month for creating a phony MySpace profile that described his middle school’s principal as a child molester have filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the 13-year-old’s free speech rights have been violated by education officials. Toader and Marianna Osan claim that their son (who is identified only by his initials in U.S. District Court filings) was improperly booted from the eighth grade at Hillside Middle School in Parma after educators learned of the boy’s creation of a MySpace page for principal Jeff Cook. The MySpace profile, which was headlined “Your Princeypal,” did not carry Cook’s name, but it included his photo and identified him as the Hillside Middle School principal. The since-removed profile, an excerpt of which you’ll find below, listed Cook’s general interests as “giving students anal” and “jacking off in my office,” and named his heroes as Michael Jackson, Adolph Hitler, and Saddam Hussein. For his vulgar online handiwork, “M.O.” was first suspended, and then, on February 7, was informed that he was being expelled (for “malicious harassment”) until June 10, effectively the end of the school year, according to a February 20th court filing. His parents argue that students “disrespecting teachers outside of school is an age-old tradition, and one from which teachers neither need nor deserve protection…It would be naive to think that even the most popular principal is not the subject of student ridicule and parody.” The Osans are seeking their son’s immediate return to school and a judicial order protecting his off-campus speech, which previously included the observation that Cook had an affinity for the Purple Penetrator, a sex toy.

Maintaining Your Online Reputation

As both a victim and now a survivor of Online Attacks, Internet Defamation, Cyberstalkers from extremely disturbed people (in my opinion) I have fought back and won! In an unprecedented jury verdict for damages, I was awarded $11.3M for what one woman did to me online. The jury took time to read the hundreds of posts of clear defamation and slander in an attempt to destroy me, my organization and hurt my family.

In many interviews I have been asked ”why” do people find the need to hurt others? I simply don’t have that answer. We can speculate, but I believe deep down people are not happy with themselves and feel the need to project their misery on to others.

John Dozier of Dozier Internet Law wrote an excellent article the outlines potential persona’s of these type of people. “The Top Ten Blogger Persona’s: The Mobosphere Unvieled.” Then Jacqui Cheng wrote about the Nutjobs that feel the need to hurt others online. It is obvious this is a growing problem.

Read more about Online Reputation and Personal Responsibility.

Take the time to protect your online reputation - if you need to reach out for help, Reputation Defender is one of the services today that has helped protect many people and takes extra steps to protect our children with MyChild.

Sue Scheff Podcasts on E-Venge

I have been on several National Media Shows including 20/20 ABC News i-caught, Fox Morning with Mike and Juliet, CNN, Fox News, BBC, and more on the subject of Internet Defamation and Internet Abuse.

I recently added Podcast's of some of these shows. Click here.

New Web identity Coming Up

http://smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/Trends/20080102-New-web-identity-coming-up.html

New web identity coming up

Wednesday, 2 January 2008

Regret that stupid picture of yourself on Facebook?
Worried that a potential employer might find incriminating things about you on the web?

Maybe you need to employ an “identity manager” who will happily wander around the web and erase inaccurate, inappropriate or slanderous information about you.

Already in the US, companies such as Reputation Defender spends its time searching and destroying hurtful and inaccurate information that exists on its clients.

But futurists who predict that the fashion of online exhibitionism will die, when young people looking for jobs realise how damaging it can be, should think again.

What we are likely to see is a new breed of PR advisers who will spend their time creating the internet profiles of business people.

In fact by 2011 technology advice firm Gartner predicts that most people will have digital replicas of themselves for online work and play.

Now just imagine what an identity manager could do with a digital replica – it could take spin to a whole new level.

Sue Scheff: Reputation Defender and MyEdge A Priceless Service

In today's crazy world of Cyberspace - it can be a free-for-all to literally destroy longstanding reputable people and organizations with a stroke of a keypad. With this, priceless services like Reputation Defender have become in demand.As a client of Reputation Defender, I can personally attest to their remarkable services as well as their compassion to help people that are being harmed via the Internet.

I was a victim of Internet Defamation and now a survivor of it - not only because I won an unprecedented $11.3 Million jury verdict for damages, but because I fought back!I am not a spokesperson for Reputation Defender, but I am certainly a very satisfied client and completely amazed at their dedication to keep the Internet a safe place for everyone.

For those that believe that it is about hiding the ugly, think again - Reputation Defender is selective and does their due diligent. I am proud to be their client. When I went public about retaining this service, it was a difficult decision - but in the end, I realized my voice has helped so many others as well as received the attention of Congress to hopefully make some leglislative changes to promote Internet Safety.

As a Parent Advocate, I am impressed with their latest service - MyChild which can help protect your kids identity and more. With today's tragedies online - as parents we need to take any and all pre-cautions to keep our children safe.

Read more about Reputation Defender. Click Here.

Sue Scheff: Rising Above Internet Defamation

Fighting against Internet Defamation can be an uphill battle - but there is finally light coming through. I meet with a Florida Senator for our second meeting today and a very prominent lawyer joined us.

Free Speech will always be in place, but it will not allow defamation or reckless regard for the truth.

I will continue to be a voice in this arena and hopefully you will see some major changes and new legal avenues and ACTION soon.