[mod edit: title changed from “Can the Flob Rat You Out?”]
This is something that has always interested me.
Hypothetically, if I went online here (under an alias) and asserted the another member were (for instance) a kiddy fiddler/serial killer/ drug dealer, would forumosa be obliged to give my details to the police in the event of a lawsuit or would my anonymity be protected?
I was speaking to a lawyer friend of mine yesterday and he seemed to think that under such circumstances the Flob would have no option but to cooperate with the Man.
I remember this was asked before in some thread or another and the answer was yes they’d rat you out. They’d have your email, and IP address, so probably very easy to tie to your identity. If you want to say shit about someone without fear of being prosecuted then (edit by Olm: please don’t discuss how to do illegal things or breaking forum rules here). Realistically though, if it’s just a civil suit, and not a criminal one, I don’t know whether the police would actually help in tracking down IP addresses or connecting email addresses to identities. Seems like it would be “not police business”, which police here love to throw around to get out of actually doing their job.
All defamation is criminal in Taiwan. Making me involve the police to chase someone with a warrant will ensure it is criminal. Settling out of court is the only way to avoid criminal penalties.
You see, I think this is inappropriate. If someone is being a libelous ass, it’s the job of the forum to delete them. Of course, if they have criminal intentions, there should be an intervention.
But no-one likes a rat.
Years and years ago I had a landlord try to force me out of an apartment in the middle of the night by standing outside my door sharpening a knife and screaming at me, I even had an audio recording. Police came, listened to the recording and my complaints and told me it was a civil matter, then left.
The situation could be more complicated than that. Some countries institute right to forget or remove information about themselves from the internet . Not sure how it is in Taiwan.
If we’re being served with a warrant, what do you think?
5.12. Illegal Activities. Do not promote illegal activities. Breach of this rule can lead to legal proceedings against this site, and will not be tolerated. Forumosa will cooperate with requests made to it by legal authorities. In cases where the law has clearly been broken, Forumosa may notify the proper authorities.
As for, “Can the Flob rat you out?” Well, yes. Yes we can
As for our obligations as asked in the OP, I’m not sure under what circumstances the police or a court would issue a legal order that we would be bound to comply with.
