Ruling For Anonymous Speech

CNet is reporting on the ruling by a federal judge in Seattle who has upheld the right to speak anonymously on the Web. Internet service InfoSpace had been asked to disclose the identity of nearly 24 people who posted anonymous comments on various message boards, but now they won't have to. This is of course a pretty good victory for anonymous online speech. Although this doesn't mean nobody will ever have to disclose IPs,

While Thursday's decision limits the types of people who can have their identity revealed, it does not completely end such disclosure. "The issue becomes: What is that standard under which someone's anonymity should be breached?" said Lauren Gelman, attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).""We want the courts to step in to say, 'If you want to unmask an anonymous poster, you need to show that this person's identity is central to your claim.' That's what Judge Zilly did."