Blogger Shuts Down Site Mocking A Legislator

[Dave_Z]

Just found this out in another forum, posting about it here:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/NEWS02/606300376/1006/NEWS

An irreverent local blogger has chosen to give up a Web site making fun of state Rep. Bev Harbin after Harbin threatened to take him to court under the state's law against cybersquatting.

Jon Asato, a tour guide and writer, said he agreed to drop the domain names BevHarbin .com and BeverlyHarbin.com after Harbin sent him two letters warning of a civil lawsuit. Asato said his Harbin Web site, which had cartoons that likened Harbin to The Incredible Hulk and the Joker character from the movie "Batman," should be protected as free speech.

But he said he did not have the money for a legal fight and instead has posted the cartoons and commentary about his experience on his celebrity gossip Web site, "talkstink.com."

The blogger in question posted about it here:

http://www.talkstink.com/archives/2...and-desist-letter-version-20-and-my-response/

It's a shame he gave up rather than fight. But understandable how and why
he made that choice, although he actually has options.

 

[MyPGP]

I tell people that I'll worry about it when it goes to trial.

 

[bluesman]

Female politico Bev Harbin needs to brush up on her internet knowledge. Related domain name laws are federal as well as international, but do not vary state by state, therefore including Hawaii. Also, merely spoofing someone's name and/or likeness on a site does not constitute "squatting, piracy, identity theft" or anything else, provided that it is not confusingly similar to a trademarked brand or name, being that the intentions of parody are stated as such on the site.

Furthermore, our boy Jon now easily could - according to recent surprising WIPO "freedom of speech" decisions that give a total green light to all "sucks sites" - switch all his material over to a new "bevharbinsucks.com" site!

 

[labrocca]

I just don't understand why people don't go around this type of crap. I would have just sold the domain to someone in India. (wink, wink). There are lots of ways to operate around the law. If something is illegal here...do it where it's legal and outside someone elses jurisdiction.