We're getting more and more of these emails every day to the helpdesk -- everyone and their brother is screaming libel and demanding we delete everything remotely related to them, their brother and their pet pig once removed. Fun. Think it'll die down after a while or are we in for constant legal threats from now on?
Jareth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jareth)
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [HelpDesk-l] Libelous communications Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:10:42 -0600 From: skip davis emdavis@texas.net Reply-To: Help desk for questions about Wikimedia projects helpdesk-l@Wikimedia.org To: helpdesk-l@wikimedia.org
Greetings!
I am an attorney and I represent a young lady, an actress whose name is Maria Ford.
I took a look at your website after Ms. Ford retained my firm to investigate and determine whether your operation (Wikimedia and Wikipedia) publicizes false and misleading, and/ or otherwise incorrect information regarding Ms. Ford. From our investigation, I have concluded that your website does indeed publish materially false information regarding Ms. Ford.
Specifically: You publish an incorrect birthdate for Ms. Ford You publish other incorrect biographical information regarding Ms. Ford.
Now that you know by my admonition to you above, that this information you publish is *patently false,* I hope that you will follow what I recommend as the simple resolution of this Libel situation: that you remove all reference to Ms. Ford from your website.
If you persist and continue to patently publish false and misleading information that continues to be injurious to my client, then Ms. Ford will be forced to seek measures to enforce her rights against your libel, including any and all remedies available under both State and Federal laws. I attached an article from CNN.com that I am certain your legal department is aware. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/11/wikipedia.ap/index.html
It is the holiday season, so I urge you to act in the spirit and do the right thing immediately. If however upon the New Year 2006 no action has been taken on your part, then we will be having a much different conversation immediately thereafter.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.
Major Edmund M. "Skip" Davis Attorney at Law PO Box 201123 Austin, TX 78720 Phone and Fax: 512.331.2828
_______________________________________________ HelpDesk-l mailing list HelpDesk-l@Wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this list, visit: http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/helpdesk-l
On 12/19/05, Michelle jareth@crimsonblade.net wrote:
We're getting more and more of these emails every day to the helpdesk -- everyone and their brother is screaming libel and demanding we delete everything remotely related to them, their brother and their pet pig once removed. Fun. Think it'll die down after a while or are we in for constant legal threats from now on?
Pretty much. Point them in the direction of the foundation. There is nothing we can do or say about this.
-- geni
information regarding Ms. Ford. From our investigation, I have concluded that your website does indeed publish materially false information regarding Ms. Ford.
Specifically: You publish an incorrect birthdate for Ms. Ford You publish other incorrect biographical information regarding Ms. Ford.
Now that you know by my admonition to you above, that this information you publish is *patently false,* I hope that you will follow what I recommend as the simple resolution of this Libel situation: that you remove all reference to Ms. Ford from your website.
Is this a form letter? How could it be faster for him to type all that than to say "Ms. Ford's birthday is actually xx/xx/xxxx"?
In any case, I don't see how you can demand removal of all reference to something from a website. In the case of wikipedia, that's a poor solution - the information would just come back, unwatched.
If you persist and continue to patently publish false and misleading information that continues to be injurious to my client, then
How can an incorrect birthdate be injurious? What is the unspecified other "incorrect information"?
Federal laws. I attached an article from CNN.com that I am certain your legal department is aware. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/11/wikipedia.ap/index.html
He didn't read this bit? "Seigenthaler said he doesn't plan to pursue legal action against Chase." And in that case the information actually is defamatory.
Is there a standard reply to such things now? Do you recommend that the aggrieved parties edit the pages themselves, or is it always "we'll get someone onto it straight away"?
Steve
On 12/18/05, Steve Bennett stevage@gmail.com wrote:
Is there a standard reply to such things now? Do you recommend that the aggrieved parties edit the pages themselves, or is it always "we'll get someone onto it straight away"?
Steve
I don't think that we should point them to the article, and tell them to "get to it." To many , that would be akin to going back and fixing the food you just sent back to the kitchen. Instead, just fix the birthdate, or whatever. Even better, post the incorrect info somewhere, and give us the chance to fix it. Unfortunately, that would probably just give us yet another backlog, and a serious one at that.
-- Ben Emmel Wikipedia - User:Bratsche bratsche1@gmail.com "A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees." -- William Blake
Ben Emmel wrote:
On 12/18/05, Steve Bennett stevage@gmail.com wrote:
Is there a standard reply to such things now? Do you recommend that the aggrieved parties edit the pages themselves, or is it always "we'll get someone onto it straight away"?
I don't think that we should point them to the article, and tell them to "get to it." To many , that would be akin to going back and fixing the food you just sent back to the kitchen. Instead, just fix the birthdate, or whatever. Even better, post the incorrect info somewhere, and give us the chance to fix it. Unfortunately, that would probably just give us yet another backlog, and a serious one at that.
On the surface it would seem easier to ask these people to fix it themselves, but giving them an opportunity to participate in an edit war may not be what we want. Asking them politely for the correct information, and fixing it accordingly (after verification) may be a more effective.
Ec
Goes to the foundation of course, but not to panic - every shyster in existence is going to see $$$ opportunities, and make all kinds of overreaching accusations, as the lawyers on this list have reminded us before. It's pretty hilarious to think that a mistaken birthdate is libel!
Just watch, at some point some dimwit is going to try to insert the false info themselves as a sort of blackmail. One more reason to revert all unsourced edits!
Stan
Michelle wrote:
We're getting more and more of these emails every day to the helpdesk -- everyone and their brother is screaming libel and demanding we delete everything remotely related to them, their brother and their pet pig once removed. Fun. Think it'll die down after a while or are we in for constant legal threats from now on?
Jareth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jareth)
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [HelpDesk-l] Libelous communications Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:10:42 -0600 From: skip davis emdavis@texas.net Reply-To: Help desk for questions about Wikimedia projects helpdesk-l@Wikimedia.org To: helpdesk-l@wikimedia.org
Greetings!
I am an attorney and I represent a young lady, an actress whose name is Maria Ford. I took a look at your website after Ms. Ford retained my firm to investigate and determine whether your operation (Wikimedia and Wikipedia) publicizes false and misleading, and/ or otherwise incorrect information regarding Ms. Ford. From our investigation, I have concluded that your website does indeed publish materially false information regarding Ms. Ford.
Specifically: You publish an incorrect birthdate for Ms. Ford You publish other incorrect biographical information regarding Ms. Ford.
Now that you know by my admonition to you above, that this information you publish is *patently false,* I hope that you will follow what I recommend as the simple resolution of this Libel situation: that you remove all reference to Ms. Ford from your website.
If you persist and continue to patently publish false and misleading information that continues to be injurious to my client, then Ms. Ford will be forced to seek measures to enforce her rights against your libel, including any and all remedies available under both State and Federal laws. I attached an article from CNN.com that I am certain your legal department is aware. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/11/wikipedia.ap/index.html
It is the holiday season, so I urge you to act in the spirit and do the right thing immediately. If however upon the New Year 2006 no action has been taken on your part, then we will be having a much different conversation immediately thereafter.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.
Major Edmund M. "Skip" Davis Attorney at Law PO Box 201123 Austin, TX 78720 Phone and Fax: 512.331.2828
HelpDesk-l mailing list HelpDesk-l@Wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this list, visit: http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/helpdesk-l
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