Steffi Graf Wins Case Vs. Microsoft

scaramush writes: "The AP is reporting that Steffi Graf has won her lawsuit against Microsoft for hosting nude doctored photos of her. Although Microsoft had removed the images when they appeared in June, MS declined to sign a formal agreement that they would not appear again. This is the second loss for MS in this case. Scary precedent."

How do you control what someone might post

[flatrock]

How do they expect board operators to control what someone might post. I can understand the board operators being forced to remove these pictures, but it's nearly impossible for them to prevent doctored pictures don't show up. I keep being more and more amazed at the narrow mindedness of courts all over the world.

This reminds me of

[WickedChicken]

the charges Microsoft was pressing in which Slashdot was responsible for people who posted some document covered by an NDA. I'd have to agree on Microsoft's side this time, they are true in that the way that this ruling does inhibit some online speech, for example posting on Slashdot. I could see in the future where posts are simply removed because they might infringe on the DMCA or other laws.

Re:Libel precedent?

[aengblom]

I can hear the tabloids blinking out of existence as we speak...

For a PUBLICATION such as a tabloid, what reason would they or should they be permitted to not sign such an agreement. The problem HERE is that USERS are posting the photos and Microsoft is removing them as requested.

Stefi Graf says Microsoft should promise that it will examine every photo and won't allow these pictures to be posted. This has very bad implications for user based public forums (I.E. everything must edited by the host company or it is liable for damages.

Re:Someone is missing the point here ...

[Misch]

This [slashdot.org] is exactly [slashdot.org] what whackos [slashdot.org] like the "Church" of Scientology [xenu.net] need to sue the internet out of existance [slashdot.org]

Re:Someone is missing the point here ...

[dolby2]

I agree, everyone would like to cheer since microsoft lost a court case, but the fact here is that they are an isp and the lost a somewhat major case about what they were hosting, hopefully this doesn't open up smiliar court cases against isp's everywhere.

Re:This is misleading...

[dcgaber]

Yes until such treaties such as the Hague convention are ratified where companies can be sued in any foriegn jurisdiction with out any sort of contacts. Or until Yahoo and the like start losing cases and can be held liable in France for actions that they filter out for french specific sites (yahoo.fr). The future of lowest common denominator is not too far off, and that should be alarming whether you are concerned about USA exporting the DMCA or Europeans exporting bans on all "racist and xenophobic" speech (as they are currently attempting to do in the Council of Europe), or this!