Comments on: Blogger Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Lawsuit

By: Maine Web Report » Blogosphere Uproar Producing Results

Maine Web Report » Blogosphere Uproar Producing Results — Mon, 01 May 2006 12:00:37 +0000

[...] Glenn Reynolds Jeff Jarvis Robert Cox Jason Clarke Tor’s Rants Shel Israel James Joyner Robert Basic B.L. Ochman Bill Hobbs Sean Coon Alan Herrell Rex Hammock Adirondack Base Camp Wendy Hoke The Florida Masochist cehweidel Don Singelton Orient Lodge Gabe Gates Digg Ed Cone Bill Hennessy VicePR The Boston Globe The Portland Press Herald Dave Winer Eric Jaffa Lisa Renee VillageSoup Center for Citizen Media Bill Trippe Travis Corcoran Pajamas Media John Palfrey Presto Vivace Blog Robert Ambrogi PRSpeak Eric Scheie Michael Feldman James Robertson about:blank Eric Siegmund Overlawyered the Blogging Times William Quick adland Ron Coleman at Dean’s World Wall Street Journal Law Blog Berkman Center for Internet & Society Mark Glaser Scott Johnson Mark A. Rose tHg News smays Brett Schulte Big News Michael Arrington First Maine Forward Civil War Cavalry Dan Gilmour Robert Scoble Words Matter Downbrigade news The Blog Herald Pascal Vernier Bring It On Seth Finklestein Publishing 2.0 Silent Running City Troll Mike Orren The Bell Curve Scar Tris Hussey Brian Bonner Journalism Hope Gary Goldhammer The Blogging Journalist Coffeehouse Studio Lewiston Sun Journal [...]

By: The Bell Curve Scar » Thickness of biz skin and freedom of blogspeech

The Bell Curve Scar » Thickness of biz skin and freedom of blogspeech — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:15:03 +0000

[...] James Joyner: Dutson’s is not a site I would visit (even if I were interested in Maine). His tone is a more hyperbolic and less professional than I would prefer. His statements are quite likely sloppy in places. I would not point to him as an example of “This is what a blogger should be.” But this is hardly the basis for heavyhanded state action. And if the threat of big pockets lawsuits can be used against a small fry running a website, it can be used against anyone, regardless of the merits of their case. We need to get it established once and for all that people have the right to post opinions, even half-witted ones, on the Internet. [...]

By: The Bell Curve Scar

The Bell Curve Scar — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:12:10 +0000

Thickness of biz skin and freedom of blogspeech...

As some readers may already know, blogger Lance Dutson
has been hit with a federal lawsuit seeking potentially more than $1 million in damages. The plaintiff, Warren Kremer Paino Advertising, is claiming defamation, libel, and copyright infringemen...

By: Rantings of a Civil War Historian » Blog Archive » Wow, This Is Scary…..

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 01:01:38 +0000

[...] Apparently, a blogger in Maine has been served with a multimillion dollar Federal law suit for stating his personal opinion on his blog. The blogger criticized certain spending policies of the State of Maine in posts on his blog, and was sued for copyright infringement and for defamation. Fortunately, there are some talented lawyers out there who are going to defend him pro bono, as this sort of thing absolutely terrifies me. [...]

By: Pajamas Media

Pajamas Media — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 14:58:39 +0000

Sued for blog reporting...

Blogger Lance Dutson has been sued by a an ad agency and Maine Office of Tourism contractor for some reporting he did on his Maine Web Report. He tells of his ordeal in this post. More: Buzz Machine: "Throw the......

By: VicePR» Blog Archive » Business Harmed by what it doesn’t Understand

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 11:46:50 +0000

[...] The Boston Globe today is running a story about a small-town blogger from Maine who is being sued by one of the state’s advertising contractors. Lance Dutson is a web designer who authors a blog called “Maine Web Report,” which according to the Globe’s story here is devoted to “comment on technology and Maine tourism issues.” Sure, that’s an odd combination but it’s not our place here to say what the guy can write about. And it shouldn’t be Warren Kremer Paino Advertising LLC’s (WKPA) place, either. They’re the advertising agency suing Mr. Dutson for “copyright infringement, defamation and trade libel/injurious falsehood” for comments Mr. Dutson made about a web campaign the state of Maine hired WKPA to produce. The agency’s “draft” campaign shots also included a phone sex number on photos of Maine’s beautiful backcountry. Dutson says he pulled the images from Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development website. If that’s true, then WKPA isn’t the only entity that ought to be embarrassed. In any event, the agency is looking for damages of north of a million dollars. We’re no lawyers but it looks like a clear-cut free speech issue and sounds as if Mr. Dutson will be fine in the end. Fine that is, if the distraction of a million dollar lawsuit doesn’t seriously disrupt he and his family’s lives. But back to the point. Whatever WKPA’s intentions for following through with this lawsuit–shut down the blog, shut up a critic, extract its pound of flesh for having its mistakes publicly called out–the agency is quickly going to learn what kind of a public relations problem the blogosphere can create for a business which doesn’t understand the medium. Problems out here spread exponentially. It’s a word of mouth issue which no company, lawsuit or any amount of behind the scenes strong-arm tactics can stop; you can’t ‘unring’ a bell. WKPA has rung a very loud bell and attracted the attention of some of the blogosphere’s most read authors. See comments on this story here, here, here, here and, oh yeah…… here, to name just a few. If WKPA’s intentions were to keep this issue out of the public eye, then LISTENING to blogs and engaging the author in a dialogue would have been a more prudent course of action then filing its suit. Mr. Dutson’s blog goes into detail about the problems the legal action is causing his family. He can probably take some comfort in knowing WKPA has created quite a problem for itself, too. Businesses need to understand what blogs mean to brand, reputation and image management before taking action against blogs and bloggers. If they don’t, they risk doing further harm to their brand. Just ask WKPA. Technorati Tags : blogs, reputation+management, PR, crisis+communications, Maine+Web+Report, WKPA You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. RSS 2.0 Bookmark on del.icio.us [...]

By: Tor

Tor — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 03:22:22 +0000

I agree some of Lance's posts were a bit over the top, but he did edit them when he was shown the error of his ways. He actually went through some pains to correct one bit of misinformation that was brought to his attention.

The basic crux of this is that he was asking questions more than making accusations, in the beginning. When he failed to get answers, he started speculating. He then got answers that didn't square with reality, and then he started getting harassed.

If Lance goes down for questioning the details of the implementation of a government function, can someone like me be far behind? I question the existence of this particular government function at all.

Peace,

Tor

By: Maine Web Report » State Contractor Files Federal Lawsuit Against Me

Maine Web Report » State Contractor Files Federal Lawsuit Against Me — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 01:15:42 +0000

[...] Update: Looks like the blogosphere is on this, I sincerely appreciate the support from all of these folks who have posted on this. Jeff Jarvis Robert Cox Jason Clarke Tor’s Rants Shel Israel James Joyner Robert Basic B.L. Ochman Bill Hobbs Sean Coon Alan Herrell Rex Hammock Adirondack Base Camp Wendy Hoke [...]

By: Don Singleton

Don Singleton — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 19:48:13 +0000

Blogger Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Laws...

Is a web design business a tourism related marketer? And note that you said that they were welcome to link "TO" your site at no cost. If you were buying links that they might other wise have purchased, then for them to be made whole you would have to...

By: The Florida Masochist

The Florida Masochist — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:28:49 +0000

Not to be taken seriously... I have little tolerance for people, companies or organizations that don't answer email or live up to their promises. Or in MBA's case their former membership policy and Robert Cox's email. This is a group in name only and I was interested in the beg...

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:19:07 +0000

McG: In this case, it is the advertising agency hired by the state that is bringing suit.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:14:38 +0000

Um, can a state, or any government, even be a plaintiff in a libel case?

By: Aaron Brazell

Aaron Brazell — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:01:57 +0000

The developer is way off base with his criticism but it IS his right to be. He's criticizing the State for what is a common and understandable error (geographical exclusion overlooked) and I think it's a bit nit-picky, but the State is being absurdly heavy-handed in its response as well.

By: WordPress › Error

WordPress › Error — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Blogger Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal LawsuitBlogger Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Lawsuit Outside Beltway - MBA Member Lance Dutson who blogs at Maine Web Report was recently served with a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Maine. The lawsuit alleges copyright infringement and defamation for reporting and commentary written and

By: Tor's Rants

Tor's Rants — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

Press Herald and Shel Israel, to name a few, have posted info about the Pay-per-Gate lawsuit. I've done a quick copy-and-paste from Lance's site to give a little more link love to all these folks. Jeff Jarvis Robert Cox Jason Clarke Shel IsraelJames Joyner Robert Basic B.L. Ochman Bill Hobbs Sean Coon Alan Herrell Rex Hammock Adirondack Base Camp Wendy Hoke The Florida Masochist cehweidel Don SingeltonOrient Lodge Gabe Gates Digg Ed Cone Bill Hennessy