Hide and seek: The implications of anonymous blogging and commenting

Goldsborough reports Cohen v. Google case, wherein the New York Supreme Court ruled that Google must reveal any identifying information it had about a blogger who anonymously used its Blogger.com service to lash out against a former professional model, Liskula Cohen. The blogger posted photos of Cohen, who has appeared on the cover of Vogue, and called her offensive names on a now-defunct site called "Skanks in NYC." This case, however, has potential repercussions beyond a squabble between two individuals. Free speech advocates are concerned about the chilling effect that it might have on the Internet as a communications medium. Among others, Goldsborough talks about the implications of anonymous blogging and commenting.