City Sues To Prevent Linking To Its Website 429
Mike writes "In what appears to be a first-of-its-kind case, the Sheboygan city attorney ordered Jennifer Reisinger to remove a link to the city's police department from her Web site. The city went further, she claims, launching a criminal investigation of her for linking to the department on one of her sites, and in response she's suing the mayor and the city. 'The mayor decided to use his office to get back at Jennifer for her efforts in the recall and picked this to do it,' said her attorney, Paul Bucher. It appears this will go to court, and the question will be can a city (or any business or Web property) stop people from posting a link to its site?"
Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Informative)
In November, the city withdrew its demand that Reisinger not link to city government sites.
SO um, what's the issue?
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Interesting)
In November, the city withdrew its demand that Reisinger not link to city government sites.
SO um, what's the issue?
Not only that, but the headline says that the city is suing the woman, but both the article and the summary state that the woman is suing the city. Did the editor even read the summary?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
It wouldn't be the first time someone used slashdot as a dos tool, IIRC
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
It must be their Flash animation that's causing all the bandwidth. Why does a city need a flash banner?
http://ci.sheboygan.wi.us/ [sheboygan.wi.us]
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:4, Funny)
Sheesh, drag 'n drop is way superior to thinking. Or having to work with one of those icky 'coders' who complains if you change your image dimensions halfway through the project.
Flash is awesome!
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Where's the cop page? I was gonna link to it.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
From http://www.bratcitywebdesign.com/ [bratcitywebdesign.com]
Sheboygan Police department sued Jennifer Reisinger when she added a link to them on her website [sheboyganpolice.com]
This post should be indexed by Google quite soon ;-)
Mod me up if you support FREEDOM and oppose FASCISM!!!11
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
It's irresponsible on the part of slashdot, plain and simple. Honestly, thats just abusing the power of passing along information, treating subjects they claim to be important as no more important to review as a fun game of broken telephone.
Okay now that that's out the way, what think you? It seems nutty that the parties involved have resolved their differences, and she's suing until you consider:
FTA: "The city went further, the lawsuit claims, launching a criminal investigation of Reisinger for linking to
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Funny)
"editor", eh?! You'll learn soon, grasshopper.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war
Married people would differ with this.
And, obviously, another difference between war and marriage is, you can sleep with enemy...
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
Calling people who disagree with your political views "lunatics" isn't racist. But it sure is bigoted, arrogant, and insulting to people who have mental problems.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Funny)
oh be quiet you lunatic ;-)
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Funny)
That makes you a maverick, not a lunatic.
You and a hundred fifty million other people.
Okay, so that was a joke: there aren't a hundred fifty million people that vote in this country.
Regarding Racial Slurs (Score:5, Insightful)
But use any of the assorted names for black people, and watch the brains of everyone in the room reboot as they look around in a panic to see if any of "them" heard you.
I think this classically illustrates how racism still exists in America. Mexicans don't like being called spics, don't call a lesbian a dyke, a gay a fag, and so on...unless you are tolerant. I can say whatever I choose in mixed company and rarely will a person of particular race,gender or ,who ever fits into whatever slur I said , will get mad.(I'm not talking about running into the tube and screaming "Stupid-ass, watermelon munching. Nigger") Why you ask?
Because they know I've got nothing against anyone. Shying away from certain words shows that you are afraid of them. If you would say something amongst close friends, such as saying "don't be so niggardly", but wouldn't say it in front of a black person- you are racist.
Minorities aren't stupid, yet we treat them like they are. Its like when you have that friend who acts like he enjoys your company but know he talks shit about you. Everyone gets it.
Here's an example, I am a white male in the IT sector. I play in a jazz fusion band called "Spook and the Ghosts". One of my best friends is the black drummer. You know who worries about the name or protests against it? White people. If I were to mention it at work- amongst my ivy-league-PhD-toting-engineers coworkers, they would get freaked out- but then make racist jokes. My black and Hispanic friends in Jamaica Plain [one of the ghettos(in the original sense) in Boston] think its hilarious, but they aren't going to make racist jokes because they think its safe. The PhD's (and most of white America) is racist at home and pretends like they aren't in the street. No one fools anyone.
If someone has a mental disability, call them retarded. That's what they are. When your jewish friend complains about the 25 cents he was shorted at Dunkin Doughnuts, even though he makes 100k a year, tell him to not be such a jew. He knows what your referring to.
The worst thing you can do is act one way in public and another at home.
Re:Regarding Racial Slurs (Score:4, Informative)
Minorities in general are just as stupid as the average white person. Thanks to the "black leaders" (who aren't interested in racial equality, if there were racial equality they'd all be out of jobs and the national spotlight) way too many blacks have a victim mentality and will often seek out and find racism where there is none [negative99.com].
I see nothing wrong with choosing words carefully, or just avoiding racial slurs altogether.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
If you would say something amongst close friends, such as saying "don't be so niggardly", but wouldn't say it in front of a black person- you are racist.
Nah. That just makes you an idiot. The words "nigger" and "niggardly" are completely etymologically unrelated.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
Where is it that you live that people don't cringe in panic at any of those words? Calling someone any of those terms in NYC will likely result in you getting your ass kicked.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
Keep in mind though, this is white-bread Wisconsin. A few anecdotes for ya.
Over a decade ago I was in boot camp in San Diego. We had one guy in our platoon who didn't pull his own weight. He was lazy, lacked motivation, and was about as bright as a door stop. Field days in particular, he would sit on his foot locker while everyone else was working. One morning, another recruit, fed up with the guy's lack of effort called him a porch monkey and told him to get off his ass. Being from white-bread Wisconsin, I just assumed he was calling the guy lazy, I mean, we have people who sit around on their porches sucking up unemployment insurance and welfare in Wisconsin, and in the town I grew up in, where we had 4 black families out of a pop of 7k, the vast majority of the 'porch monkeys' were most definitely white. I was a little surprised to see the recruit who said it get raked over the coals for it by the DI's.
Just two weeks ago, some republican senator referred to the Obamas as "Uppity". That's another term, being from white-bread Wisconsin, I was familiar with. It's used to describe someone who is behaving not of their social/economic class. It's crass and rude, but I had never heard of it being referred to as a racially charged word. But apparently, it is. Who knew?
I've traveled around the world, and at every stop there are differences in language, social interactions, and social expectations. What is clearly a racial term to one person can be just another insult to a different person. So while I haven't read the TFA or websites, bear in mind that not everyone has the same experiences as you.
-Rick
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:4, Insightful)
I defend not what you say, but your right to say it. Go eat the earth flag.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Funny)
Go eat the earth flag.
Not the one made out of skin, of course.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
If /. wants to pontificate about censorship they should do it in the cause of a more upright citizen.
Isn't the whole point of free speech that people should be free to say what they'd like especially when others find it distastful or inappropriate?
Its not really freedom if you're only allowed to say tasteful things, is it?
Well... (Score:5, Insightful)
It used to be. [wikipedia.org]
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Interesting)
Additionally, you earn +0 Karma for misinterpreting the First Amendment. A very simple search [wikipedia.org] would tell you that
1) The Supreme Court decision (Schenck v. United States in 1919) only described falsely shouting fire in a theater, and
2)
Schenck was later limited by Brandenburg v. Ohio, which ruled that speech could only be banned when it was directed to and likely to incite imminent lawless action (e.g. a riot), the test which remains until this day.
You might notice that no mention is made of "responsible" action. I, for one, find the lack of such subjectivity to be a good thing.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Interesting)
you can't shout out "FIRE" and cause a panic
Why do people constantly use an argument meant to typify speech which leads to violence, injury and destruction, when attacking speech which does no such thing?
Re: whole point of free speech (Score:5, Insightful)
If we just started ignoring the idiots in real life, they would go away, too. Instead, we put them on the news. All you have to do is wave a Nazi flag or hang a rope from a tree [wikipedia.org], and you automatically get +5 mod points just for being a moron.
I browse at -1... (Score:4, Interesting)
I've been around since pretty much beginning. I've seen the rise and fall of Portman and grits, GNAA and Katz. As more people joined, signal to noise ratio has indeed dropped. But quite frankly, people like you are part of the noise, and always have been. People have been bitching about the dropping quality of Slashdot since your UID still put you in the noob category.
The final kicker - you're currently sitting at +1. The irony should make your head implode.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Also, from TFA she seems to be quite racist (probably exactly the sort of McCain voting lunatic who is going to condemn us to four more years If /. wants to pontificate about censorship they should do it in the cause of a more upright citizen.
Talk about an upright citizen!!! Why is it every time someone does not toe the liberal line of allowing ILLEGAL aliens into this country they are labelled racist??? If you do not like the law, do something about and get the law changed. Otherwise stop calling everyone a racist just because they dont agree with your particular point of view.
People are allowed to disagree with you and want our laws upheld.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I *hate* illegal immigration I think that the aliens should all be crated up and shipped back to their home countries. If they want to come back so bad, they'll have to do it legally.
I DO have standing, my wife is a *legal* immigrant, and everytime I hear that someone wants to let the illegals stay, I/we feel like we've been kicked in the collective nuts. I mean we're idiots right? for doing things legally I mean. Who knew that there were things like laws and stuff.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
In November, the city withdrew its demand that Reisinger not link to city government sites.
SO um, what's the issue?
The problem is that the city issued a cease and desist order in the first place.
Just because they withdrew it doesn't change the fact that they engaged in an abuse of process.
Good on Reisinger for counter-suing and hopefully establishing some case law on the matter.
Example: In November, the **AA withdrew its cease and desist order that Slashdot not link to bittorrent sites.
Still don't see the issue?
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
No, the statute of limitations is probably going to be at least 2 years and possibly 3. It would even be legitimate to file the suit right before the deadline.
In most civilized countries one doesn't have to rush out immediately to file suit, people are generally able to try to fix the problem or to mull things over. November was only 10 months ago. She'd likely have at least 14 more to file.
Otherwise, I have no idea what you're getting at.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
Intimidation to cause censorship. The city attempted to hinder her 1st amendment rights. She fought back and the city backed down, but that doesn't make what they did right.
The city needs to be made an example of in the court of law for all to see so as to dissuade others from trying the same thing.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
a woman posts a link to a municipal government website, so the mayor sends her a cease-and-desist letter and then launches a police investigation on her to intimidate the woman and coerce her into removing the link. and you see nothing wrong here?
it doesn't matter that the city withdrew its demand after the lawsuit was filed (or possibly after the media broke the story). the point is that government officials should not be bullying political dissidents like this--especially not in concert with the police department.
the woman in this story was smart enough to contact a lawyer and fight back, but most people would probably be intimidated and just back down. this story should be reported if only so others know that such demands have no legal basis.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:4, Informative)
I think I found her site, and her site is actually worse than the police department's web site (if you can believe it). It kept on making my firefox crash, the only way I could see it was with Internet Explorer. Otherwise, her site is pretty interesting content-wise, it's no wonder the city hates her guts.
[Warning: use IE to open, not firefox] http://sheboyganshenanigans.com/?cat=6 [sheboyganshenanigans.com]
And also, I found another site that dared linking to the Sheboygan PD.
http://www.ratemycop.com/index.php?st=WI&dept=8376 [ratemycop.com] (ah, the wonders of the internet)
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The article appears to show that rare thing - journalistic integrity. Why do I say that?
Well, peppered throughout are statements about the source of any particular bit of information. The only source is the lawsuit which has been filed.
"The cityâ(TM)s actions torpedoed Reisingerâ(TM)s Web site marketing business and led to death threats against her, according to the lawsuit."
I can't see how getting a C&D letter and acting on it lead to death threats? Then there's this curious part:
Reisinger said she felt intimidated by McLeanâ(TM)s letter and removed the link. Then a police lieutenant told Reisinger he was investigating her use of links to city government sites, the suit says.
What, did a police lieutenant just ring her up to tell her? The claim that her business suffered loss of earnings because she had to remove this link is laughable.
I
Re: (Score:2)
The amount she's asking for is excessive but I hope she wins a smaller amount.
Re:Did the editor read the last paragraph? (Score:5, Insightful)
Excessive? In a case like this the maximum is $500,000 per charge. Asking for half of that is not excessive, especially when it comes to the government stepping on a citizen's 1st Amendment rights.
Damages (Score:2, Insightful)
Perhaps we should note the difference between compensatory and punative damages. Compensatory damages are to compensate the plantif for damage done to her. In this case, GP is probably correct in assuming that she did not suffer 250K in damages.
But in the question of the government stepping on a citizen's 1st amendment rights, as P mentions, 250K is not excessive, as it is not big enough to make most municipalities pay attention. In this case, it should be a huge ammount, and it should be under punitive
You do realize who actually pays such suits? (Score:5, Interesting)
We've got enough fiscal problems without you throwing around other people's money like it is free.
These city politicos look like dipwads, but how does giving this woman a cash windfall at taxpayer expense hurt them? Take my word for it, the *taxpayer* money the average city pays out on junk lawsuits is the real rights being trampled daily.
Re:You do realize who actually pays such suits? (Score:5, Insightful)
The mayor was acting on behalf of "the people", with the weight of the power bestowed on him by "the people". So, IMO, it is the "the people" who should ultimately take the responsibility for his abuse of power. If the courts can sanction the mayor personally, all well and good. If not, then responsibility again falls on "the people" for not electing people who will pass the laws to make that an option for the courts.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
The link was removed, then reinstated and the claimant complained - a public apology was made by the Mayor.
End of.
We call that, "Can dish it out but can't take it".
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Where do you live that the mayor can have the city attorney try to stop you from exercising your 1st amendment rights? And then sic the police department on you to "investigate" you for linking to their website?
That is a pretty clear violation of your constitutional rights. This should be stomped on pretty hard!
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sheboyganpolice.com (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/ [sheboyganpolice.com]
Sheboygan Police General Information:
Phone: 459-3333 / Email: spd@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Chief of Police / David E. Kirk
Phone: 459-3343 / Email: dkirk@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Deputy Chief of Police, Operations Division / Allen J. Sherven
Phone: 459-3343 / Email: asherven@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Captain of Criminal Investigation Unit / James A. Veeser
Phone: 459-3355 / Email: jveeser@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Shift Commanders / Phone: 459-3333
First Shift ( 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM ) Captain David A. Derus
Email: dderus@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Second Shift ( 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM ) Captain Stephen B. Cobb
Email: scobb@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Third Shift ( 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM ) Captain Bob V. Wallace
Email: bwallace@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Training / Resource Division / Lieutenant Michael Williams
Phone: 459-3190 / Email: mwilliams@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Administrative Services / Lieutenant Janet Reinfeldt
Phone: 459-0239 / Email: jreinfeldt@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Drug Unit / Lieutenant Kurt Brasser
Phone: 459-3999 / Email: kbrasser@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Traffic Section / Sergeant Thomas Tuszynski
Phone: 459-3352 / Email: ttuszynski@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Court Services Section / Lieutenant Janet Reinfeldt
Phone: 459-3353 / jreinfeldt@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Community Policing Unit
Lieutenant Jeffrey Johnston / Phone: 459-3338 / Email: johnston@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Officer John Winter / Phone: 459-3341 / Email: jwinter@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Officer Todd Priebe / Phone: 459-3341 / Email: tpriebe@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Street Crime Unit
Officer Kurt Zempel / Phone: 459-0234 / Email: kzempel@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Officer Brian Retzer / Phone: 459-0267 / Email: bretzer@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Officer Paul Olsen / Phone: 459-3348 / Email: polsen@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Criminal Investigation Division / Phone: 459-3355
Detective Mark Kolosovsky / Email: mkolo@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
K-9 Unit / Officer Trisha Miller
Phone: 459-3333 / Email: tmiller@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
School Resource Officers
South High School / Officer Terry Meyer / Phone: 459-3706
Email: tmeyer@sheboygan.k12.wi.us
North High School / Officer Doug Hall / Phone: 803-7604
Email: dhall@sheboygan.k12.wi.us
Urban Middle School / Officer Patrick Leichtnam / Phone: 459-3959
Email: pleightnam@sheboygan.k12.wi.us
Farnsworth Middle School / Officer Eric Edson / Phone: 459-4083
Horace Mann Middle School / Officer Eric Edson / Phone: 459-3386
Email: eedson@sheboygan.k12.wi.us
Police Property Office / Julie Lamb
Phone: 459-3347 / Email: jlamb@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Administrative Assistant & Office Supervisor / Paula Haelfrisch
Phone: 459-3343 / Email: phaelfrisch@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Communications & Electronics Technician / Russell Schreiner
Phone: 459-3351 / Email: rschreiner@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Fleet Operations Mechanic / David Daniels
Phone: 459-3350 / Email: ddaniels@ci.sheboygan.wi.us
Web Site Administrator / Officer John Winter
Phone: 459-3341 / Email: jwinter@sheboygan.wi.us
Re: (Score:2)
Re:sheboyganpolice.com (Score:4, Funny)
>Phone: 459-3341 / Email: jwinter@sheboygan.wi.us
I'd have kept quiet about his role if I had this site to look after.
Re:sheboyganpolice.com (Score:4, Funny)
For some reason, I though it was some weird pr0n site: She-Boy-gangpolice.com
What can I say, it's still early here. I'll wake up soon.
Re:sheboyganpolice.com (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
In November, the city withdrew its demand that Reisinger not link to city government sites.
SO um, what's the issue?
Being from the area (born and raised in the county), this story is pretty old. It also had everything to do with the fact that the women in question was an out-spoken critic of the Sheboygan mayor, Perez. The whole thing is the fact that the mayor abusing his power to make a critics life difficult. Unfortunately for the major, and fortunately for the public, the mayor was pretty clueless about the ridiculous request he made (among many of his other ridiculous things he's done).
The whole thing hit local m
Pretty cut and dry if you ask me (Score:5, Informative)
If you don't want people to find your website, don't register a domain. Once you do, it's public knowledge. Printing the URL of the city's website is no worse than printing the premiere's mugshot [wikimedia.org] when he gets busted for DUI. (Sorry, OT political commentary, but it seemed a good example).
Re:Pretty cut and dry if you ask me (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Politicians and other public figures would rather their mugshot be boring and unremarkable, like they're smiling for just another photo. A scowling, haggard mugshot is perfect for front page in the newspaper.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
If you don't want people to find your website, don't register a domain. Once you do, it's public knowledge. Printing the URL of the city's website is no worse than printing the premiere's mugshot [wikimedia.org] when he gets busted for DUI. (Sorry, OT political commentary, but it seemed a good example).
I would have thought that if a police department creates a website, the intention is that as many people as possible would find it and access the information on it. So they should be glad if someone links to it.
ridiculous (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Just throwing up ideas though, I think it's all pretty silly.
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don't do what? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:don't do what? (Score:5, Funny)
Have you looked at the code and graphics on that site?
It should be illegal to link to it.
Re:don't do what? (Score:5, Funny)
I wonder why?
meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 5.0"
Re: (Score:2)
It should be illegal to link to it.
Including internally.
Americans with disabilities (Score:2)
That splash page is a usability nightmare. The image, which is primarily text, should include alt and longdesc attributes so that blind people and other people using text-only clients can decipher the message.
Even better, they could format that page using text for the text part and images with alt text for the decorative part.
Better than that would be dropping the splash page altogether, as it seems to convey nothing of value for most visitors.
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That one's named "Front Page". So much better.
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And look at the Table Organization.
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/table_organization.htm [sheboyganpolice.com]
A massive 1.2Mb bitmap to show the command structure.
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/Table%20of%20Organization%20072005.bmp [sheboyganpolice.com]
Re:don't do what? (Score:4, Funny)
I did my civic duty and clicked every link on their sidebar.
Re: (Score:2)
...in new tabs. Then did a reload all.
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Yeah, but that's pretty tame. It would be more interesting to google-bomb them. Something like "Sheboygan police are autocratic censors [sheboyganpolice.com]". Or we could just call them a bunch of baby-smoking iguanodons [sheboyganpolice.com] with home-spun cheese ethics [sheboyganpolice.com].
Good Luck (Score:2)
This is even a question? (Score:5, Insightful)
the question will be can a city (or any business or Web property) stop people from posting a link to its site?
The answer is (or damn well better be) no. This is completely obvious. When you put something up on the Web without a form of access control (meaning logging in, not meaning "I only give out the address to certain people"), it's public every bit as much as if you put an ad in the newspaper. Linking to your site is no different than me saying, "Hey, check out this newspaper ad CmdrTaco put in, it's really cool!".
Even if that weren't the case (and it very much is), this is a government web site. They have no right to keep anyone out at all. I don't know what the city was thinking, but they have no ground to stand on here. Maybe they're hoping they'll get a really clueless or corrupt judge, I dunno.
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I would like to think it is a "no." However, at some point, it becomes physical property. There's a server somewhere and bandwidth that is billed. I don't have a decent analogy so I'll resort to a crappy one. If I put a chair out on my lawn you don't have a right to sit in it. If I bring my chair out to a public beach you still don't have a right to sit in it. Even if I'm not in it. I, of course, am unlikely to give a shit if you sit in it but the idea is the same. The question is, can someone encourage peo
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If I put a chair out on my lawn you don't have a right to sit in it.
Depends on how public it is. If it's next to the sidewalk, it makes sense that I can; next to the house or behind a barrier, not so much.
Re: (Score:2)
Makes sense that you can but that doesn't mean that you're legally entitled to do so. Hell, if I put a chair outside and someone wants to use it when I'm not then I don't think I'd ever complain about it. Hell, I'm likely to drag out a second chair and some beers. And, yeah, I do have a chair outside and sometimes people sit in them at the table but they're usually people who are waiting for me to get home or what not.
Happened in Finland in 2001, too (Score:3, Informative)
Similar case. Someone linked to police website in 2001, and police claimed that their domain name represents the police on the internet and thus linking to their site without permission was illegal. The police lost, ofcourse, but it's still ridiculous that there was even a fight about it. Finally the parlamentiary ombudsman had to take the case and rule that links are like literary references, and completely legal.
Then block her already (Score:4, Interesting)
an a city (or any business or Web property) stop people from posting a link to its site?"
The cities sysadmin should be fired. Check the referrer, then redirect to the main page when "needed". A couple minutes set up time and *poof* no more "deep linking" from other sites.
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The cities sysadmin should be fired. Check the referrer, then redirect to the main page when "needed". A couple minutes set up time and *poof* no more "deep linking" from other sites.
You assume a great many things:
1) That the city is wise enough to see the need for a sysadmin. Seriously.
2) That the city was cohesive enough to hire a sysadmin.
3) That the city is large enough to justify hiring a sysadmin. (according to Wikipedia, it's only 50,000 people [wikipedia.org])
4) That the city, otherwise utterly incompetent at techn
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Security? I wouldn't call redirecting incoming links based of referrer as anything resembling security. Some websites find it useful and it works.
one sandwich please, hold the bread (Score:2, Insightful)
How dare she make the Web be a web!
Ugh (Score:2)
Don't go there, their initial/start page is just a single picture talking about Theodore Husting:
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/ [sheboyganpolice.com]
That links to the main site, which looks a bit more pleasing:
http://www.sheboyganpolice.com/main.html [sheboyganpolice.com]
Oye (Score:5, Funny)
You know a organization knows what they're doing on the web when their landing page is titled NEW PAGE 1 and was made with FrontPage 5.0
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their landing page is titled NEW PAGE 1 and was made with FrontPage 5.0
I'd have to say I like this better than a situation where city hall spends half a million on some stupid hip web design agency who does nothing more than creating a Flash site.
"nolo mi tangere"? (Score:2, Informative)
Nothing yells out fail as much as someone trying to quote latin but getting it wrong. It's "noli me tangere".
Re:"nolo mi tangere"? (Score:4, Funny)
If you are a real Latin grammar nazi, you should chisel the correction on your monitor.
VP Material (Score:2, Funny)
sounds like if Palin falters, McCain has his new running mate
but can't stop a Telco from suing it.... (Score:4, Insightful)
A city sues a single person to prevent him/her from linking to a public website, but keeps silent when a Telco sues it for providing free internet...
Guess cities are bullies like corporates.
Pick on the small guy.
I dearly, dearly hope the defendant not only prevails, but also countersues the City Mayor for Fraud, deliberate attempt to subvert justice, manslaughter (what the heck, file anyway), and personally report him to the FBI for corruption.
Counter Attack is the best form of defence.
never heard anything so ridiculous (Score:2)
I have a suggestion. If you don't want someone linking to your web page, take it off the freaking world wide web.
Morons.
No Legal Precedent? (Score:5, Informative)
Aero
What really worries me (Score:5, Funny)
We, the men and women of the Sheboygan Police Department, value:
* Human Life
* Accountability
etc.
Do they *really* need to state they value human life? Is there an assumption that the norm is to not care who dies? What sort of crazy department is that?
Re: (Score:2)
The quality of the site seems very poor. Let's all click the pretty link [sheboyganpolice.com] and hope the server is an ex-gaming rig.
Re: (Score:2)
Actually as it's all a bunch of static crap from 1994 frontpage, it probably will be fine. It's the rush of database connections and non-cached dynamic content that causes most sites to die in a slashdotting.
Re: (Score:2)
Um... the "Streisand Effect" applies to censored information, how censoring something makes it only more available. Not the case here.
Re: (Score:2)
There was no attempt to prevent people from knowing the website address though. This is a link, not information in general.
It is still a bad thing to do, don't get me wrong. Telling other people what they can or cannot do with their own property? I bet the town hates freedom.
Re:The bigger question... changing the legal syste (Score:5, Insightful)
A web designer created a web link to the main site of a public, government institution. The city then issued her with a cease and desist order and began a police investigaton againt this person. This is patently wrong, and is behaviour which needs to be discouraged.
The fact that they withdrew the order later is really beside the point. A police investigation when the person instigating it knows(and TFA pretty clearly shows he did know) that it is baseless and illegal is intimidation.
The fact that this woman may or may not have undesirable political and/or racist opinions doesn't really matter. It wouldn't even matter if she's the second coming of Hilter(queue Godwin), using the police to intimidate or harrass someone who hasn't done anything wrong is illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional, and saying "Oops we're sorry" when you get caught doesn't get you off the hook.
It would have been a slightly different situtation if she was attempting to incite violence, or using the link in some other non protected way, but there seems to be absolutely no indication that this is the case(I'm not entirely sure how you could incite violence against a web address in the first place).
She ought to sue, she ought to win, and the idiots who ordered this ought to be out on the street. The fact that's she appears to be a racist redneck fool doesn't change any of that.
Re: (Score:2)
I am pretty sure that the police can investigate anyone at any time with or without merit. They will still need warrants to get access to materials that they might not otherwise have but they are certainly welcome to apply for those warrants via the legal channels. We can argue all day that they shouldn't be allowed to but I am pretty sure that they are allowed to and can't find any laws prohibiting it except when the investigation becomes harassment which is pretty clearly defined. Simple observations, sin
Re: (Score:2)
You link it from Slashdot :)
Re:The bigger question... changing the legal syste (Score:2)
I don't think that this is a frivolous lawsuit, but...
They do have some things to try to prevent abuse of the legal system...It's called Anti-SLAPP (Anti- Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). AFAIK it's only in California, but other states may have adopted similar statutes...
Basically, you can't file a suit unless you have a good reason. If a defendant raises the SLAPP defense, then the plaintiff has the burden to prove that they can at least make a 1/2 way decent case...they basically have to
Re:The bigger question... changing the legal syste (Score:5, Insightful)
How about this: if you sue somebody and lose (or back out, etc.) then you pay the defendants lawyer's fees as well as your own.
How about this: No one ever sues large corporations again because if they lose they're going to be broke for the rest of their lives.
Re: (Score:2)
But like others have mentioned, in the US we are of the opinion that there shouldn't be up front risks in seeking justice.