Recently I have witnessed a frustration coming from several bloggers using Blogspot for publishing of their blogs.
Several bloggers are upset that Blogger does not provide any kind of IP blocking.
There is something serious wrong with a platform that would allow their users to be harassed or that would allow individuals to transmit through their services content which is harassing, libelous and abusive, but what happens when you report such Tos violations to Blogger?
You receive an email from Blogger Support that states, ” Blogger.com and Blogspot.com are US sites regulated by US law. Blogger is a provider of content creation tools, not a mediator of that content. We allow our users to create blogs, but we don’t make any claims about the content of these pages. Given these facts, and pursuant with section 230(c) of the Communications Decency Act, Blogger does not remove allegedly defamatory material from Blogger.com or Blogspot.com. If a contact email address is listed on the blog, we recommend working directly with the author to have the content in question removed or changed.”
Nonetheless their tos clearly states “Member agrees not to transmit through the Service any unlawful, harassing, libelous, abusive, threatening, or harmful material of any kind or nature. Member further agrees not to transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law or regulation. Attempts to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems are prohibited.”
When a service like Blogger allows such harassment they send a clear message that they condone it. The anonymity of the internet has made it just that much worse, because it gives harassers the power to attack others with little risk of being caught and for those being harassed via their Blogspot blogs, Blogger provide no protection.
There is no way for a blogger using Google’s Blogger to block an individual from accessing their blog on Blogspot. The only bonus is that they can moderate comments putting some control into their hands.
No one should have to deal with cyber-harassment and Blogger should see that all reports of harassment that violates their Tos is addressed appropriately, but sadly they don’t. Blogger states that “Member shall not interfere with another Member’s use and enjoyment of the Service or another entity’s use and enjoyment of similar services.”
It is very unfortunate that many bloggers are unable to enjoy their blogging experience due to harassment.
Judge Edward Fadeley, Retired Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court stated “Today’s blogosphere is a veritable Wild West of verbal ambushes and shootouts, with very little fear of legal recourse to keep character assassination, defamation and dirty business tricks in check.” The Judge is correct.
Daniel Lyons, in a Nov. 14, 2005 Forbes article says “Blogs started a few years ago as a simple way for people to keep online diaries. Suddenly they are the ultimate vehicle for brand-bashing, personal attacks, political extremism and smear campaigns. It’s not easy to fight back: Often a bashing victim can’t even figure out who his attacker is.”
Cyber-harassment and stalking must not be ignored for the outcome can be devastating to the victims, but what will it take before services such as Google’s blogger acknowledges this and does something about those using their services to harass other individuals.
In the mean time although it is easier said than done, your best defense against cyber-harassment is to ignore the harasser.
Rose DesRochers
If you liked this post, why not buy me a coffee?Technorati Tags: Blogger, internet, Blogspot, cyber-harassment
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18 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Oct 24, 2006 at 10:19 pm
I think it’s called freedom of speech. There are laws in place against stalking, slander and defamation of character. I think Blogger should create a tool so that you can delete a posted blog. I hate using that stupid moderation and I wish I didn’t have to use that word verification but I do because I hate spammers most of all. I won’t even wear somebody’s logo on my clothing unless I think it’s cool enough to advertise….why would I want to allow somebody to spam my blog with their spew? That to me is even more offensive.
Wrote: Oct 24, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Paul, sadly that is the problem with the blogosphere. Freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to harass, or post defamatory statements about someone on the internet. Freedom of speech was created for far noble purposes than that. I’m so tired of the blogosphere hiding behind freedom of speech.
While there are laws in place against stalking, slander and defamation of character law enforcement does not care to intervene and most times will not intervene.
Wrote: Oct 25, 2006 at 1:49 am
It’s upset me.
I’m switching to another carrier for my blog. My stalker appears to have finally left me alone, though, I’m not holding my breath.
Blogger offered no help what so ever. Where Wordpress and Typepad both have IP blocks and you can password protect your blog.
Wrote: Oct 25, 2006 at 11:58 pm
I get occasional obscene spam from a guy who is stalking a woman whose blog I read. From what I’ve gathered, he does this to anyone who posts a comment on her blog.
Well, I’m fighting back. Every email of his I get, I forward to abuse@whatver-domain-he-uses. He’s been kicked off two domains so far. Maybe it’s just a minor hassle for him, but if I can be a minor hassle to an “assle”, then I’ve made the world a better place.
Ian
Wrote: Oct 26, 2006 at 12:17 am
I’ve had to turn off anonymous comments because of an ex-friends attacks. This person posted private things about me that were both true and not. This person even went to others blogs (this one for example) to “warn” people about me. I went to Blogger about it and was told they did nothing wrong, and refused to have this person remove the post. I tried reasoning with them, but to no avail.
Well, this person’s site meter has a lot of hits, but they have no comments, so I just shake my head and go on with my life.
Wrote: Oct 27, 2006 at 12:07 am
Ian, you go boy.
Sam, now I remember. It is coming back to me. Now I know who you are. LOL
Mysterious Lady , I hope things get better for you.
Wrote: Oct 27, 2006 at 10:11 am
Only had one spammer so far. He was posting about 7-10 comments a day until I figured out how to block an IP range and not seen him since. No stalkers yet though.
Ian, nice one mate, abuse@whatever.com, good thinking
Wrote: Nov 11, 2006 at 7:21 pm
[...] Google: Cyber Harassment and Cyber-Stalking on Google’s Blogger [...]
Wrote: Nov 14, 2006 at 1:56 am
Bob, you are lucky that you can as those who host their blogs at blogspot don’t have that luxury.
Wrote: Mar 29, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Have you any information about how to fight a TOS violation and blog removal that was instigated by a fraudulent complaint to blogspot.com?
My harasser now “owns” my blog.
I’ve written to blogger.com but I doubt they will be responsive. They gave me no opportunity to correct the problem. I was not violating any laws nor involved in hate speech, etc.
Wrote: Mar 29, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Scott, care to share a little more info about the problem?
Wrote: May 9, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I just stumbled upon your article in utter frustration. I seem to have this same anonymous commenter that has continued to leave very mean and hateful comments on my blog. Yes, I moderate comments and just recently took off anonymous commenting as well, but all she did was go and create what I’m sure is a fake blogger username so she can comment on my blog.
This is exhausting and frustrating. Why do people have the right to do this and get away with it? Is there TRULY nothing we can do about these people???
Wrote: Oct 10, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Yes, I have had some recent issues with a cretin Bloger named Yuki who has been harassing my arts blog, I have no doubt in my mind this little ASS MONKEY is from Encyclopedia Dramatica.:evil:
Wrote: Apr 7, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Hello folks,
This is indeed very frustrating that Google / blogger don’t enforce their own terms of use. I have a stalker too. He has created several hate-blogs already, but Blogger doesn’t close them down although they know about my problem.
My son told me yesterday that he googled my name with blog-search and bumped in the latest hate-blog of that anonymous person.
Although I had complained umpteen times against this and other hate-blogs, there’s no one who does something against this.
Maybe here’s somebody who could help me in this case? Does anybody know a direct contact? You could provide any information via my moderated comments function. I won’t publish any private information nor any comment which would be related to that stalker.
Thanks and best wishes.
Brew
Wrote: Apr 7, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Brew, I sent you a private email regarding this and I’m sorry to hear that you are the subject of such a blog.
Wrote: Apr 22, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Hi Rose,
thanks for your reply. I’m afraid I didn’t receive your mail. Would you please try again?
Thanks and best regards,
Brew
Wrote: May 17, 2009 at 3:53 pm
This is quite a situation for a lot of people. Let me tell you my story with Blogger. I apologize in advance for (1) it’s a long story and (2) doing this in your blog, but honest to God I don’t think I have any other place to tell it.
I used to follow and comment on several politics blogs. You can assume that certain interchanges got a bit inflammatory because, well, it’s politics. Even though insults flew and feuds began, things were not so bad at all. People didn’t take it too seriously, or so I believed.
One day, a very inflammatory and narcissistic poster appeared out of nowhere. People didn’t take him too seriously and just ignored him. Apparently being ignored made him very angry, so he created another identity that he used to post insults — basically a troll. A group of bloggers (including me) did a bit of research and exposed him publicly. Now I wish I hadn’t done so, because he created a bunch of blogs (all of them SEO’d through blog catalogs and link spamming) with a lot of false accusations towards the people that exposed him, mixed with personal information (pictures, phone nos, addresses and how-to-get-to-our-homes maps) that he gathered by stalking all of us. He certainly spent a good amount of time.
I decided to completely retire from blogging. I closed my blog, I don’t post any comments anymore and so on. It’s just not worth it. In fact, this is the first time I post a comment since more than six months.
Anyways, the worst thing of all this was Blogger’s response to our complaints. “Oh, no, we are just a *PROVIDER* of content, so what this guy does is not our responsibility, sorry!”. Their very lax and seldom enforced rules, protected by law, are just an incentive for harassment and stalking.
I agree with you, that’s not free speech. Freedom always implies responsibility. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s been through something like this.
But, oh well, that’s life.
Wrote: Nov 3, 2009 at 12:21 am
Freedom of speech doesn’t mean defamation is allowed. The problem is Blogger only goes so for to cooperate with subpoenas for accounts by contacting the blog owner of defamaing material for the purpose of quashing the subpoena. Google has been uncooperative thus far with my subpoenas beyond their initial procedure.
They are forcing me to file a Motion to Compel and for sanctions. Other services like AOL will obey the laws, but Google is making false claims stating they only recognize cases filed in Santa Clara’s court jurisdiction. So my case is in San Diego and Google claims it won’t honor it as a result? That’s a violation of State law. I’ve filed two lawsuits against cyberstalkers I was able to identify. One took his nasty defaming blog completley down after a deposition was conducted. AT&T also gave me important evidence of Internet IP records for $60 fee.
I even have a restraining order against one who threatened my notary business I had two witnesses, one who flew out from Vancouver WA to testify. I conducted two depositions of these guys and they lie out their behinds.
Blogger.com really needs to empower it’s users to obtain IP addresses of posters to their blogs and to get anonymous blog account holder information. This guy wrote some serious trash and lies about me, and Google has been very uncooperative seemingly believing itself above the law.