Model's Suit Exposes 'Cyberbully' Blogger; Will Blogging Be Changed?

"Why should anybody let it go?" model Liskula Cohen told ABC-TV's Good Morning America today when asked why she went to court to learn the identity of an abusive blogger instead of just ignoring the hateful words.

New York State's Supreme Court Judge Joan Madden ruled this week that Google had to give Cohen information that would identify the person who wrote in a blog that the model is, among other things, "psychotic," and used defamatory words to portray her as being sexually promiscuous. The person, who turned out to be a woman Cohen knows, had used Blogger.com, a Google product, to produce the blog.

At CNET News' Technically Incorrect blog, Chris Matyszczyk wonders "just what implications (the decision) might create for those who choose to blog anonymously and call people rather rude things."

Marketing Pilgrim Andy Beal says that:

With this ruling -- and if other judges follow suit -- it will make it easier for businesses battling reputation issues. It's one thing to stand-up and face legitimate criticisms of your business, but at least now there's an option for exposing those that have less than genuine intentions.

For more on the case, see this court document.