is this the end for twitter?

xsiborg

now that a Council in the UK has been able to obtain user's details via a court order in the US, i wonder is the end in sight for twitter.com as users not under US jurisdiction become that much more aware that they are NOT immune from prosecution for what they tweet?

Twitter Told To Reveal UK Users In Libel Case:

Twitter has been ordered to hand over confidential details of five British users in what could become a landmark case.

The US-based microblogging site bowed to pressure from three councillors and an official at South Tyneside council who claimed they had been libelled in tweets.

They took their legal case to America to unmask the anonymous individual behind the messages, who described themselves as "Mr Monkey".
Now a judge in California has ordered the site's bosses to reveal the details of five Twitter accounts.

It is believed to be the first time the social networking site has been forced to provide details about users in the UK.

Experts say there could be a flood of further cases amid controversy over how celebrity gagging orders have been breached online by some Twitter users.

Lawyers for Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs have already attempted to get details of individuals who identified him on Twitter as having obtained a superinjunction to protect details of his private life.

Media lawyer Mark Stephens told Sky News: "Ryan Giggs' lawyers went to the High Court in London which doesn’t have jurisdiction over Twitter in California.

"Whereas the 9th Circuit court where the Tyneside council went in California does have jurisdiction over Twitter, so Twitter had no alternative but to hand over the material."

In the past Twitter has resisted handing over confidential information. Last week Tony Wang, the head of European operations, warned details would be released if legally required.

He tweeted: "We give users notice of requests so they have the opportunity to defend themselves."

Freedom of speech campaigners fear the success of the South Tyneside case may encourage others to take legal action in America, potentially uncovering many more names of previously anonymous users.

The South Tyneside group are reported to have employed a US law firm to handle their case – thought to have cost the council many thousands of pounds.

i am not on twitter myself, but i just wonder does this new development signal the end for twitter, given that users can now be taken to court for anything they tweet that may be construed as libellous or defamatory, and an extension from this i wonder how long it will be before facebook.com will come under the same pressure to tighten up on how it's users use the site?

does this mean the end of social networking as we know it? i just think this new development will leave a sour taste in people's mouths as concerns are raised over privacy issues, etc, or will it just die down in a few days and we all carry on as normal?



poll is set to private (pending injunction ) and multiple choice.

dsmythy

It might be the end of people feeling they can say what they like protected by anonymity.

ejmaztec

I don't see that a few idiots defaming people on Twitter is going to bring Twitter to its knees.

mikom

Say a tweeter set up their original account from an email account initiated in an internet cafe, then went on to tweet libel from a pay-as-you-go internet enabled phone.
How on earth could you catch up with them?
I suppose if you had cctv footage of the original sign up in the cafe, but highly unlikely.

You can bet your life on it that at least a few of the "superinjunction busters" have tweeted in this manner.

Motley Crue

I'm more disgusted since South Tyneside is one of my local councils (just on the border of it) and I'm shocked to see such a blatant waste of public money. Libelling a counsellor, yes, the wrong thing to do - is it worth the counsellor going to the US and wasting thousands in order to prosecute someone who said a bad word against him....no!

Irish Guitarist

No. Some of the biggest sites don't have any respect for their members or their privacy but it doesn't stop people from using them. Facebook already passes their users data on to other companies resulting in spam email.

Anyone with any sense would use an email address they don't care about for the purpose of signing up to these sites. Anyone that uses their real street address when signing up to these sites is too dim to start worrying about privacy now.

xsiborg

ejmaztec wrote: »

I don't see that a few idiots defaming people on Twitter is going to bring Twitter to its knees.

well perhaps i could have phrased it better, but i meant that people would probably not be as inclined to tweet, knowing that what they might say they can now be sued for. i dont mean just celebrity related, i mean for example in the IT industry there is often speculation and whistle blowing about new technologies and what companies such as apple, microsoft, google, are working on.

this for example:

http://twitter.com/#!/MatkoBotincan/status/33679148757032960

Speculation Of Microsoft And Nokia Alliance With Windows Phone 7 http://t.co/QR8iEaZ via @techieinsider

ok so by now we know it's been confirmed, but say for example if this speculation had sent microsoft shares tumbling, microsoft in turn then decided to prosecute the user who posted the speculative tweet...


does this make it any clearer where im coming from?

angel01

Not at all, I am careful what I tweet and why would it be the end of it?

You can't just what you like on the internet or in real life, so if you are careful, you have nothing to worry about

mikemac

xsiborg wrote: »

ok so by now we know it's been confirmed, but say for example if this speculation had sent microsoft shares tumbling, microsoft in turn then decided to prosecute the user who posted the speculative tweet...

Tbh is someone is spreading malicious rumours to manipulate stock prices they deserve to get sued and then banned from trading shares ever again

Ok, this guy works for Tech Insider which may have good information.

But the average clown can tumble a stock price with false information if enough people listen. And don't tell me they can hide behind free speech when they do it.

Irish Guitarist

The majority of Twitter users post things like "I just ate some cheese" or "I'm going to watch a film". I don't think they have much to worry about.

Biggins

No it won't be the end.
It will just mean that if someone really wants to post something anonymous, they will go to an internet cafe and using all fake names and addresses, set-up a temp email address to accept confirmation link sent from Twitter registration, set-up said Twitter account there, click on resulting "confirm" email from them to temp email address and then post wherever they like anon'.

If they are really clever they will never use the same internet cafe twice if possible, chose a seating position that is with their backs to the security camera there (if any) and use a false name (if required) for hiring a the use of a pc temp-wise for an hour or two.

When they return home they should NEVER them post items to their new Twitter account as tempting as it might be - as I.P. address will be attached to said update.

syklops

The dogs in the street know that Facebook uses your personal data for all kinds of shenanigans. Yet people keep using it. I really doubt people will stop using twitter, because a court legally, got personal information for a specific person, in relation to a case.

Absurdum

No way, I will continue stalking girls on Facebook even if it means doing it from a prison cell.

Skid

xsiborg wrote: »

i am not on twitter myself ...

does this mean the end of social networking as we know it?

If you were, you would know that spreading rumours is just a tiny part of what is discussed there.

Twitter isn't going anywhere.