Potentially illegal uses of this forum, Please let us know of any Options

[blissyu2]

I know we've said this before more than a few times, and we do get messages from time to time advising us of anything potentially illegal on here, but we just got a serious legal threat from Jimbo Wales himself, threatening to sue us. And that means suing me, since I bought the domain name. That's my role here, basically, to make sure that everything here is legit and legal, so I hope that people can respect that.

The relevant post is this one: http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=1533

I have just written a response to it, in an e-mail to Jimbo Wales, and I cc'ed a few relevant people too. Put simply, I don't think that Wikipedia CAN sue Wikipedia Review. On what grounds? For daring to criticise the forum? And I am hoping that through this Wikipedia Review is able to exist without harassment from Wikipedia, so that people can come here without fearing being banned from Wikipedia for being critics, and so that people can go to Wikipedia and talk about this forum without fear of being censored or banned for doing so. However, if they are stupid enough to sue us, I want us to go full force, and bring up every single illegal action that Wikipedia has taken part of. I don't want them to feel that they can get away with this kind of terrorism. Counter-suing is relatively cheap and easy, and it would be legally much easier for us to counter-sue them than to initiate the action. We'd also be open to let anyone else jump in on the counter-suing. Its up to Wikipedia of course whether they want to go through with this.

But we need to be prepared. So please, look through, and see anything that you think is even a hint that it might be illegal. We will then wipe it or else edit the post.

[Donny]

Seriously? Jimbo is going to sue this forum?

Assuming it's not a joke, what's he going to sue us (you) for?

By the way, the whois for this domain looks like this:

Administrative Contact:
Private, Registration XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX@domainsbyproxy.com
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
XXXXX N. XXXXX Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) XXX-XXXX

Doesn't look like your details, unless it's a Capricorn One job: you think you're in Alice Springs, but it's actually a movie set in Arizona. And is your real name "Administrative Contact"?

Do you mind if we call you Ad, or should we call you Mr Contact?

[blissyu2]

Hmm. Well, it did list my real details. I guess Selina changed it. When I registered, it listed my real details. Anyway, I am happy to put them back in there. I didn't check whether they were changed.

Anyway can we limit this thread to discussion of potentially illegal posts? Ta.

[blissyu2]

I won't ask Selina to remove the proxy. But I am not going to hide behind loopholes and technicalities. If we have broken the law, we should be sued. I have always maintained that I am obeying the law, in all respects, and I believe that this forum has as well. I can't speak for all individuals here, but yes I believe that this forum is a law abiding entity, both in technicality and in spirit.

This was my e-mail to Jimbo to apologise for the proxy:

Dear Jimbo,

I do apologise for this, but it seems that our site administrator has decided to remove my real name and address from the whois registration.

Please advise if you wish to go ahead with suing Wikipedia Review, and I shall give you my full details.
I am confident that you will find that Wikipedia Review has not broken the law, and that it is not a good idea for Wikipedia to try to sue them.

I hope that we can use this opportunity to make peace, whereby Wikipedia can acknowledge that criticism is good for it, and cease the harassment of Wikipedia Review users. We are the ones who are trying to help your project. Corrupt administrators are the ones that are hurting it. I hope that in time you can see this.

Adrian

Lots of cc's there too, just to make sure it doesn't get ignored.

[Donny]

If you think he's serious, you probably should talk to a lawyer before replying. Where is wikipediareview.com hosted? I think the hosting area is important, isn't it? What laws apply?

[Sgrayban]

JImmy doesn't have the ball's...... First off he has to PROVE that we made false claims of WP in which case we can PROVE they have threatened to bring down this forum at any cost.......

He doesn't want to play this game.....

[Sgrayban]

I believe Selina and I have this in another forum. We pasted it directly from the mailing list.

[blissyu2]

It doesn't matter which national laws apply. We haven't broken any laws, anywhere. So its irrelevant. I don't want to be using legal loopholes, by saying "Well, legally, we are in the republic of Senegal" over this. We could do that, but then we'd be effectively saying that we are doing the wrong thing. I want it out in the open. If we've done something illegal, we should be sued.

Note, by the way, that my posts didn't appear on the Wikien mailing list. Nor has anyone replied to them.

It's worth remembering that under Florida law, a timely correction of erronious information is a defense against libel. A person must first advise a potentially offending publication of erroneous information.

I think you will find that basically everywhere, that is true. And indeed you get more than that too.

In other words, if they don't tell us its illegal, then we aren't breaking the law.

Good thing we allow legal threats, huh.

[Donny]

It doesn't matter which national laws apply. We haven't broken any laws, anywhere.

That's rather a sweeping statement, isn't it? Considering the number of countries and different laws, I would have thought it was quite possible that in some countries this forum would be breaking the law in some unknown way.

So its irrelevant. I don't want to be using legal loopholes, by saying "Well, legally, we are in the republic of Senegal" over this. We could do that, but then we'd be effectively saying that we are doing the wrong thing. I want it out in the open. If we've done something illegal, we should be sued.

I think being sued involves the laws of one country or another. This forum is hosted in the USA isn't it?

Note, by the way, that my posts didn't appear on the Wikien mailing list. Nor has anyone replied to them.

Are you convinced that the legal threat was a real one?

[blissyu2]

I seriously doubt that there is any law in any country that makes what we've said here illegal.

But anyway, back to the point, point to any posts. If you feel that there may be some which may break laws in some relevant jurisdiction, but not others, then say so. I don't want to take any chances over this.