October 6, 2005

Delaware Supreme Court Says Blogger Has Right to Remain Anonymous

The Delaware Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that if an elected official claims he has been defamed by an anonymous blogger, he cannot use a lawsuit to unmask the writer unless he has substantial evidence to prove his claim. That standard, the court said, "will more appropriately protect against the chilling effect on anonymous First Amendment Internet speech that can arise when plaintiffs bring trivial defamation lawsuits primarily to harass or unmask their critics."

Delaware Supreme Court Declines to Unmask a Blogger, New York Times, October 6, 2005.