Trouble at t'Mill
Discussion
I have a family problem and I hoping that by telling you all about it I may be able to get some useful advice.
Here's the situation:
My sister split up with her boyfriend several months back at her instigation and has since found another bloke who she is interested in.
Recently her ex found out about this new relationship and has since taken to spreading a whole host of lies about her (various claims about her 'activities' etc have been written on an internet message board and verbally communicated), lies which are getting back to her new bloke as well as to many of her other friends. These lies are starting to have an effect on her relationships with these people - they are beginning to not trust her, something which she is taking very hard.
I have told her all the usual about if they were true friends etc then they would trust her and not be taken in by all this rubbish but sadly it hasn't helped her.
At the moment I have refrained from taking any action myself, but my patience is starting to wear thin and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do, legally, to help this problem go away.
I've been thinking along the lines of slander etc but haven't a clue as to what sort of evidence I'd need - written examples of the stuff he's been saying etc.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Here's the situation:
My sister split up with her boyfriend several months back at her instigation and has since found another bloke who she is interested in.
Recently her ex found out about this new relationship and has since taken to spreading a whole host of lies about her (various claims about her 'activities' etc have been written on an internet message board and verbally communicated), lies which are getting back to her new bloke as well as to many of her other friends. These lies are starting to have an effect on her relationships with these people - they are beginning to not trust her, something which she is taking very hard.
I have told her all the usual about if they were true friends etc then they would trust her and not be taken in by all this rubbish but sadly it hasn't helped her.
At the moment I have refrained from taking any action myself, but my patience is starting to wear thin and I'm wondering if there is anything I can do, legally, to help this problem go away.
I've been thinking along the lines of slander etc but haven't a clue as to what sort of evidence I'd need - written examples of the stuff he's been saying etc.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I'm no expert on this sort of thing but until a PH expert does pop his/her head above the parapet may I suggest getting print outs of what this scrote has wrote about your sister. Prior to him realising/guessing you may be taking legal action for libel (writen word) giving him the opportunity to delete such posts.
Any lawyers out there? Anyone with relevent experience?
DAZ
Any lawyers out there? Anyone with relevent experience?
DAZ
CarZee said: first of all a stern letter to the owners of any internet forums involved asking them to remove any material relating to your sister..
secondly.. forget legal and get evil.
As a result of the UK libel laws classing ISPs as publishers, rather than innocent carriers of information (in the same manner as telephone companies) they will often fold up very rapidly and remove material that has been complained about rather than risk potentially expensive legal action.
Personally I would vote with getting half a dozen mats together and having a "quiet word" with the guy.
It may be far more effective in the long run (or possibly escalate the situation, im sure you might have some idea as to how he might react.)
Hey V.
I've already given you my thoughts on this off board, but it look like they have beem almost completely replicated on here (I must be learning something
).
...not as many shotguns as anticipated though, where's Incorrigible got to?
Thanks Guys!
I don't know her that well, but well enough to be pretty sure the stuff this guy has written is about as factual as anything in the Sunday Sport or a Labour Party's (...or any party's for that matter) manifesto.*
I was more wordering exactly how effective forum thread print-outs (this could be a hot-spud for Ted, so don't answer if may cause any prob's) as evidence in what amounts to a slander and harrasment case like this. After all, Text messages, suitabley logged, have been used in some cases to gain injunctions re' juvenile bullying I think...
Mouse
*...ooops, does that constitute libel?
>> Edited by danger mouse on Thursday 9th January 13:46
I've already given you my thoughts on this off board, but it look like they have beem almost completely replicated on here (I must be learning something
). ...not as many shotguns as anticipated though, where's Incorrigible got to?
Thanks Guys!
I don't know her that well, but well enough to be pretty sure the stuff this guy has written is about as factual as anything in the Sunday Sport or a Labour Party's (...or any party's for that matter) manifesto.*
I was more wordering exactly how effective forum thread print-outs (this could be a hot-spud for Ted, so don't answer if may cause any prob's) as evidence in what amounts to a slander and harrasment case like this. After all, Text messages, suitabley logged, have been used in some cases to gain injunctions re' juvenile bullying I think...
Mouse
*...ooops, does that constitute libel?
>> Edited by danger mouse on Thursday 9th January 13:46
ONLY JOKING
er in! Cheaper and more effective than any lawyer.Just be careful.
A guy I worked with did a favour for some 'good' mates, by helping to beat up a low life (he did deserve it). The mates legged it when the BiB arrived and he got charged and convicted of ABH. His so called mates left heim to carry the can.
As I said, be very careful with taking the law into your own hands. Psychological means are best
.
Sparks
A guy I worked with did a favour for some 'good' mates, by helping to beat up a low life (he did deserve it). The mates legged it when the BiB arrived and he got charged and convicted of ABH. His so called mates left heim to carry the can.
As I said, be very careful with taking the law into your own hands. Psychological means are best
. Sparks
OK - here's the low down.
Anything that you publish on the Internet, be it in email or on a BBS, is as good as writing it down on a piece of paper and publishing.
Contary to the above - ISP's are not liable for the content on them (and the forthcoming OFCOM bill will enshrine that fact in UK law), they are merely a conduit until it is made aware to them that the information is illegal.
Note - the information *must* be illegal - not just "not nice to someone".
The first port of call is webmaster@ and abuse@ (or any other contract address given) on the web site of the forum pointing out that the postings as given are factually incorrect, and asking for them to be removed.
If that doesn't work - the next port of call is abuse@ the isp that hosts them (do a traceroute to the web site - the last "hop" that shows an ISP name is the ISP to contact.
All ISP's have T&C's of their customers that require this stuff to be removed.
Finally, if you really want to get even, take legal advice about pusuing the poster through the courts. Normally a strongly worded letter from a solicitor is enough to make the person decease - if not you always have the option of taking them to court.
Note : if you want to pusue through the courts always take printouts of the site, seal them, and either lodge them with a solicitor (many charge unless you are taking legal action at the time) or get a third party to sign over a seal their name, sig and time of sealing.
But - don't create more work than yourself. First start with the forum owner and talk to them - many, if it is clear abuse of another person, will remove the offending posts and ban the poster - that in itself may be enough to make the person decease.
Hope that's helpful.
J
Anything that you publish on the Internet, be it in email or on a BBS, is as good as writing it down on a piece of paper and publishing.
Contary to the above - ISP's are not liable for the content on them (and the forthcoming OFCOM bill will enshrine that fact in UK law), they are merely a conduit until it is made aware to them that the information is illegal.
Note - the information *must* be illegal - not just "not nice to someone".
The first port of call is webmaster@ and abuse@ (or any other contract address given) on the web site of the forum pointing out that the postings as given are factually incorrect, and asking for them to be removed.
If that doesn't work - the next port of call is abuse@ the isp that hosts them (do a traceroute to the web site - the last "hop" that shows an ISP name is the ISP to contact.
All ISP's have T&C's of their customers that require this stuff to be removed.
Finally, if you really want to get even, take legal advice about pusuing the poster through the courts. Normally a strongly worded letter from a solicitor is enough to make the person decease - if not you always have the option of taking them to court.
Note : if you want to pusue through the courts always take printouts of the site, seal them, and either lodge them with a solicitor (many charge unless you are taking legal action at the time) or get a third party to sign over a seal their name, sig and time of sealing.
But - don't create more work than yourself. First start with the forum owner and talk to them - many, if it is clear abuse of another person, will remove the offending posts and ban the poster - that in itself may be enough to make the person decease.
Hope that's helpful.
J
Cheers guys/gals all useful advice.
After the initial burst of anger subsided, where I was all up for breaking his nose, I calmed down and settled into rational thinking. If I was going to do anything to 'hurt him' it would be to afford him the luxury of a criminal conviction but I needed to sound out some more informed individuals other than my good self first.
After listening to your advice I'm now of the opinion that taking away his public forum by contacting the mb's hosts would hurt him far more than just threatening him. From what my sister has led me to believe anyway, he is an individual who requires constant attention to massage his ego. By taking away his audience I'd be starving him of that and hopefully he'll do some self reflection and growing up while he's away.
I can hope anyway.
Thanks once again
After the initial burst of anger subsided, where I was all up for breaking his nose, I calmed down and settled into rational thinking. If I was going to do anything to 'hurt him' it would be to afford him the luxury of a criminal conviction but I needed to sound out some more informed individuals other than my good self first.
After listening to your advice I'm now of the opinion that taking away his public forum by contacting the mb's hosts would hurt him far more than just threatening him. From what my sister has led me to believe anyway, he is an individual who requires constant attention to massage his ego. By taking away his audience I'd be starving him of that and hopefully he'll do some self reflection and growing up while he's away.
I can hope anyway.
Thanks once again
Just to add, Im suprised people cant see : hes the EX, hes telling tales. I would say its clear its not true as the author is biased.
go on tell us the website, and lets slate him with tonnes of offense, its a great form of anger relief, and Im sure several of us here could make him look pretty pathetic.
go on tell us the website, and lets slate him with tonnes of offense, its a great form of anger relief, and Im sure several of us here could make him look pretty pathetic.
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