Re: FN-FORUM: legalities of printing someone's address

date posted 6th May 2006 13:06

as an ISP to advise on legalities but to respond accordingly.
Your Acceptable Use Policy (contract) as an ISP to the newspaper should
cover your back too

There is no contract as I do this site for free as my contribution to
the local community. I've kind of unwillingly been dragged into this
dispute. I removed the name and address from the website as soon as the
issue was raised, however the address is still printed in the actual
paper version of the paper (which has been circulated around the twon)
and therefore the PDF version. I just wanted to know if I should remove
the PDF version to cover my own back. Personally I don't agree with what
they've done and totally understand the anger that the guy who's address
has been printed feels, but my opinion is kind of irrelevant I just want
to take the correct course of action.

Catherine

[EMAIL REMOVED] wrote:
> Disclaimer: not a legal opinion :)
>
> It looks like the "other local website" is run by an individual and not a
> limited company, and his address details are public domain by the fact that
> he has a generic top level domain (.com) and, by default, his details are
> "published" in the whois records, but they are not published on the actual
> website. I'd be pissed off too (as Ian said).
>
> Have a look through:
>
> http://www.bof.nl/docs/researchpaperSANE.pdf
>
> And sit back and wait for the dust to settle. As the ISP providing the
> space, it sounds like you would need to be informed that the publication is
> "illegal" in some way and then advise your client (the newspaper) that said
> content needed to be removed. From what I can gather, it's not your
> responsibility as an ISP to advise on legalities but to respond accordingly.
> Your Acceptable Use Policy (contract) as an ISP to the newspaper should
> cover your back too ;)
>
> HTH
>
> Ed
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL REMOVED] [EMAIL REMOVED] On Behalf Of Catherine
> Hutchinson
> Sent: 05 May 2006 15:05
> To: FN-FORUM / [EMAIL REMOVED]
> Subject: FN-FORUM: legalities of printing someone's address
>
>
> Is it illegal to publish someone's name and address without their
> permission if that information is in the public domain? I work for a
> local newspaper by putting their paper online.They are having a row with
> another local website - they have taken issue with the fact that the
> forum on the local website enables people to anonymously comment on
> local issues so in retaliation they published the owners name and
> address in the paper - now I have this information published on the
> website. It has been suggested that it's illegal to publish a name and
> address without permission and the fact that I host the site this is on
> I'm thinking that I should remove it if this is the case - anyone know
> the actual legal position irrespective of whether they think what the
> paper has done is immature or not! I don't want to get involved in the
> argument as personally I have no problem with anonymous comments
> providing they are not libellous, etc (which they are not as they have a
> very good webmaster who removes topics with people's names, etc).
>
> Catherine
>
>

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