It seems timely to point to the John W Dozier Jr (Founder of Dozier Internet Law) TV interview last week in Washington DC about the changes we need to make to protect ourselves from the online scofflaws of the web. Dozier Internet Law and John W Dozier Jr are calling for changes now to promote self policing so the web can become a safe neighborhood.
Dozier Internet Law today broke the news and now provides the most detailed analysis of the Harvard Journal of Law and Gender attack on the reputation management industry. Internet lawyer John W Dozier Jr blogged on the Google Bomb community site on the issue. Google Bomb, the book, details how you can protect yourself, your loved ones, your small business and your livelihood. Many of the suggested tactics and the overall strategy itself is labelled "fraud" by the very same Harvard that harbors and supports and encourages many of the free speech expansionist radical groups fighting to protect the scofflaws and miscreants of the web.
The entire reputation management industry is taken on in this article by law professor Ann Bartow. As an Internet lawyer, I have to wonder what experience this law professor has with SEO and Rep. Mgt. I'd welcome a debate if she feels like her piece can withstand more public scrutiny.
My Google Bomb book on online defamation has taken off on Amazon and moved into the top 400 of all books sold, number one in three Internet categories (privacy, culture, security). Google Bomb Blog and Forum has been launched by Dozier Internet Law Internet lawyers. And on the legal front, it has been an interesting week. Four major events have added some spice in the middle of our slow season as litigation lawyers:
1) Facebook is sued for alleged data privacy violations by a big time, big dollar Texas plaintiff trial lawyer.
2) Jon Praed, a friend of mine and fellow Internet lawyer, sues banks to get information to better combat spammers. He's been the spam attorney for AOL for years.
3) Google loses in New York City and has to identify an anonymous blogger. Expect an appeal.
4) Oprah files suit in federal court in New York against a laundry list of defendants allegedly using her name and/or likeness to sell products online.
Once you buy Google Bomb you'll want to keep up with the latest developments as reported by John W Dozier Jr, an expert Internet lawyer and founder and President of Dozier Internet Law. The site is located at Google Bombs and gives you the ability to interact with other community members on the issues of the day. And best of all, Internet lawyer John W Dozier Jr sets the posts up by chapter category so as you read the book you can immediately go and see the latest on each subject.
The Internet moves quickly, and it is essential that you stay abreast of the most recent developments in order to protect yourself, your family, and your livelihood. Google bomb is timely. Just not timeless. But the open arms forum and community is timeless.
Dozier announces today that Google Bomb (click the link to go to the Amazon book page) is available for immediate purchase on Amazon. John W Dozier Jr, an Internet lawyer and Founder and President of the Dozier law firm, leads the reader through the world of online attacks and arms you with the tools, tactics and strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones.
The Goole Bomb Community has launched. It supplements the advice and guidance in the Google Bomb Book with the latest developments. You can get the late breaking news by chapter from a top Internet lawyer while you read the book. So join our community dedicated to providing support, guidance and advice on an ongoing basis. Membership is free.
Google Bomb is out of printing and shipping this week! What is the response from reviewers who got an early peek at the advanced readers copy? And how is Google Bomb being recieved by the legislative branch...? Here's a recent review:
“Google Bomb is a great book! The Constitution protects free speech, but slander is not free speech. We should be able to hold slanderers accountable, and Google Bomb helps readers do that.”
Traverse Internet Law is pleased to provide the latest reviews about Google Bomb, set to be released September 1, 2009:
“I haven’t been this affected by a book in a long time. I went from a shaking rage to knots in my stomach to tears and finally to cheers. What happened to Sue could happen to any of us, and Google Bomb’s practical guidance makes this a highly profound and useful book that the world needs to read.”
-Michele Borba, Ed.D., Author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, Parenting Expert and Today Show Contributor
Google Bomb will likely ship out from Amazon within the next 10 days, and be on your favorite bookstore's shelves by September 1, 2009.
John W Dozier Jr just completed final editing of "Google Bomb", a book about online attacks and just the sort of thing that precipitated the arrest by the FBI of a blogger for what he said on his blog. Paul Alan Levy, the internet lawyer with Public Citizen who is no stranger to attacking judges with words and imploring his netizen constituency to online action against his adversaries, was the apparent "go to" guy to put this alleged misconduct in perspective. So it was a bit odd to see Levy offering his impliedly unbiased opinion to journalists. He stated that with respect to the comments from the blogger about specific federal Judges...."The question is, 'Is it a threat, or is it advocacy'." Well, given the facts internet lawyer Levy had available, let's see if this could possibly be simply idle chatter from a well intentioned and likely vehement follower of Levy's propaganda. This is what the FBI and Department of Justice allege Mr. Hal Turner said in threatening Federal Judges after they decided a case:
1) "These Judges deserve to be killed."
2) "Apparently, the 7th Circuit court didn't get the hint after those killings (more on this below). It appears another lesson is needed."
3) "Judges offical public work addresses and a map of the area are below. Their home adresses and maps will follow soon."
4) A photo of the Federal Courthouse in Chicago modified with arrows and a label noting the "anti-truck bomb barriers".
The reference to the other murders in number two? When the same Circuit Court decided to allow stand a conviction of an individual for soliciting murder of another federal judge in Chicago, that federal judge's mother and her husband were murdered in their home.
Now, I am all for offering up balanced perspectives to all of the online netizens who look to a real Internet Lawyer to help them understand appropriate conduct and where the lines are drawn. And we need vigorous advocacy by Internet lawyer types on both sides of these issues. But Levy is an extremist, and legitimate journalists need to stop relying upon him as an objective, fair or balanced source. Here's what I would like to have heard Paul Alan Levy say. Maybe he can learn that the message of the value of free speech can be protected without assuming extreme positions that will influence the ignorant and make him look foolish when he is challenged on it. Here, if Paul Alan Levy could learn to exercise discretion and judgment, is what he could have said:
"From a moral standpoint, respect and protection of our judicial system is essential. This situation is a lesson for the hundreds of millions of uninformed netizens relying upon us as their moral compass. If these allegations are true, and Hal Turner meant what he was saying, there is no place for such misconduct. His words erode the moral fabric of online society and put at risk the right to free speech we all enjoy. There are legal issues with respect to whether the government has to prove an imminent threat to physical harm, which is almost always the defense raised in cases in which threats are made to public officials, and other free speech matters may arise in the course of this case. But no matter what the legal outcome, we cannot condone in any way attacks on Judges, their families, or the administration of justice. Our justice system is not perfect, and we'll continue to work everyday to point out the problems and offer solutions, but it is the best in the world. And we must all be ever vigilant to preserve, protect and defend the Judiciary."
So, I have to wonder-at what point is Paul Alan Levy and Public Citizen just no longer relevant in today's debates about online rights and speech? I think they still deserve to be at the table. Just so far out on the left of center that while they are accorded a plate-setting, their voice is barely decipherable. The term "extremist" understates what Public Citizen is doing to the moral fiber of the online world. And you'll hear much more about internet lawyer Paul Alan Levy and Public Citizen in "Google Bomb", the book. Much more.
At Traverse Internet Law, we've been working hard turning back online attacks for our clients. John W Dozier Jr,President and Founder ofDozier Internet Law, has put together a top ten list of the personalities and characteristics of online attackers and scofflaws. You can read all about them in the Google Bomb book on online defamation coming soon. For now, here is an introduction, compliments of Dozier Internet Law.
Text follows:
Google Bomb is coming by September first. One of the things you'll learn all about is ten scofflaw persons on the web. For those under attack, it is essential that you first identify who you are dealing with. The authors of Google Bomb have plenty of experience in identifying the characteristics of online scofflaws. This evaluation really helps when you are considering the many different strategies, tactics and actions available to the target of a vicious and false online attack. Here is a short list of scofflaws who frequent the web and wield the keyboard with malice.
The Pickpocket. He used to hang out on street corners waiting for the elderly to pass by.
The Wacko. Or, as most would refer to this type of character, a nut case.
The Druggie. A normal guy during the day, a terror at night after he gets his buzz going.
The Alien. From a land far away and untouchable.
The Nerd. Dork during the day, Casanova at night fueled by the power of anonymity.
The Rookie. Even his English teacher would be surprised by this 13 year old’s creative writing.
The Sadist. Not quite foaming from the mouth, but clearly enjoying causing great pain in others.
The Bankrupt. Nothing to lose, and he acts like it with vigor.
The Criminal. Protection rackets are the tool of choice, and organized crime in a new sense is both alive and well online.
The Mis-leader. Biased and prejudiced with an ulterior motive, all cleverly hidden from view so as to seem objective and fair.
Are you a victim of an online attack? Figure your attacker out first. Otherwise, if you try to deal with it things could get worse. Much worse. Google Bomb will tell you all about the landscape of this new battlefield, and arm you with the knowledge of Sue Scheff, the recipient of an $11.3 Million defamation judgment, and John W. Dozier Jr., a top rated internet law attorney. Both leading advocates for change.
Google bomb. There is a time to keep quiet and a time to speak. The time to speak is now.
Google Bomb, the book, written by Sue Scheff and online defamation lawyer John W Dozier Jr, is coming soon. The final edits of Google Bomb are being finalized. One of the interesting aspects of the world of the mobosphere is organized attacks. This animation tells a story that is happening more or less daily in one form or another and this is covered extensively in Google Bomb. As a defamation lawyer, it is becoming common because I hear the stories every day. Attacking on the web to gain an economic benefit is closer to extortion than free speech.
A lawsuit has been filed against search engines for returning alleged defamatory results about the inventor of a vibrating toilet seat. Of course, any defamation lawyer would immediately recognize that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is on its face a complete defense to this type of claim. But as an online defamation lawyer specialist I have to wonder whether the issue has ever been truly tested in the cases filed against Google. I doubt it.
So, from a veteran defamation lawyer involved in the Section 230 wars, I have to ask the question I have never seen answered or raised before. Consider the state of things today. First, you lose your immunity for material editing of content. Second, the search engines, particularly Google, make subjective decisions on content placement all the time. Third, they do it, however, by automating the subjective editing through algorithms and applying their employees' personal decisions and prejudices to search results by grading or assigning "authority" through an automated and seemingly objective process (at least to the uninformed). Fourth, Google decides what will be presented in its own search results, and most importantly in what order that presentation will occur.
Can a business simply take subjective decisions on editing, turn them into objectively defined criteria functioning within a mathematical equation, and avoid becoming a content provider and losing Section 230 immunity? Probably not the way the statute is drafted today. Which means that when this lawsuit comes, it will be a bet the business case for Google. Because if they lose, they will likely have virtually unlimited and incalculable liability for defamation.
Think of it this way. The "misearable failure" Google bomb was pointing at the White House's George Bush and coming up at the top of the search results when that term was searched. Just after Obama took office, Google went in and removed the result since it was now pointing at Obama as a "miserable failure". This is the type of thing that happens with apparent impunity. And the defense offered by Google that it was a coincidental result of running an automated process to identify Google Bombs and remove them from the results is a bit less than convincing, but a clear example of how Google materially edits content.
As a defamation lawyer it is clear that within certain parameters Google must be able to function without fear of Section 230 immunity loss. They should be immune. Yet the existing law behind which so many hide today cuts both ways. It was passed at a time before Google and Web 2.0 and User Generated Content became major information delivery systems and processes.
It needs to be amended to protect legitimate service providers like search engines doing their job of indexing the web and creating structure out of mass confusion. I don't personally like the idea of search engines having this type of liability since it does not bode well for the free flow of truthful information. But Congress giveth, and Congress taketh away.
Is Google destined to lose its immunity for subjective editing decisions having a material impact on the content it presents? Possibly.
I bet that isn't figured into Google's market cap or valuation. But it should be.
Google Bomb, the book, will be in your favorite bookstores September 1, 2009. Google Bomb is the story of Sue Scheff and legal commentary from John W Dozier Jr.
Google Bomb, the book, will change the way you think about the web. The text follows:
Next up, Google Bomb, the book. The dramatic story of Sue Scheff as she takes the reader through her journey to an $11 million dollar court judgment against online attackers who turned their rage on Ms. Scheff and her business. John W Dozier Jr, a veteran of the Internet bubble as founder and Chairman of the Board of a venture backed e-commerce company, a top rated, preeminent attorney and internet law expert, surveys the landscape of online attacks, explains what happened to Sue, and what can happen to you today in the new world order. From hacking to spam impersonations, from defamation to cyberstalking, from copyright infringement to trademark theft, and from privacy invasions to the unleashing of Google bombs, Mr. Dozier takes you into the bowels of the online underworld, the mobosphere. You'll learn about the personalities of attackers, how to set up an early warning system, and the Top Ten steps you need to take today to protect yourself, your business, and your loved ones. Google Bomb is really a call to action, destined to be a turning point in the fight against online personal terrorists. Published by HCI, renowned for the chicken soup line of books. Available in bookstores by September 1, 2009. Pre-order it today on Amazon. And visit Dozier Internet Law for more information about the law of the web. Are you a victim of an online attack? Relief is coming. September first. It could be the first day of the rest of your life. God bless you and be safe out there.
