TWITTER ORDERED TO HAND OVER NAMES

Twitter Told To Reveal UK Users In Libel Case

7:16am UK, Sunday May 29, 2011

Rhiannon Mills, Sky News reporter

Twitter has been ordered to hand over confidential details of five British users in what could become a landmark case.

The US-based microblogging site bowed to pressure from three councillors and an official at South Tyneside council, who claimed they had been libelled in tweets.

They took their legal case to America to unmask the anonymous individual behind the messages, who described themselves as "Mr Monkey".

Now a judge in California has ordered the site's bosses to reveal the details of five Twitter accounts.

It is believed to be the first time the social networking site has been forced to provide details about users in the UK.

Experts say there could be a flood of further cases amid controversy over how celebrity gagging orders have been breached online by some Twitter users.



Ryan Giggs' lawyers want details of Twitter users who named him


Lawyers for Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs have already attempted to get details of individuals who identified him on Twitter as having an injunction to protect details of his private life.

Media lawyer Mark Stephens told Sky News: "Ryan Giggs' lawyers went to the High Court in London which doesn’t have jurisdiction over Twitter in California.

"Whereas the 9th Circuit court where the Tyneside council went in California does have jurisdiction over Twitter, so Twitter had no alternative but to hand over the material."

In the past Twitter has resisted handing over confidential information. Last week Tony Wang, the head of European operations warned details would be released if legally required.

He tweeted: "We give users notice of requests so they have the opportunity to defend themselves."

Freedom of speech campaigners fear the success of the South Tyneside case may encourage others to take legal action in America, potentially uncovering many more names of previously anonymous users.

The South Tyneside group are reported to have employed a US law firm to handle their case – thought to have cost the council many thousands of pounds.

whistleblower to be named.....so...you know something about something and you talk about it naming these persons....

I wonder if this whistleblower tried to do something about it before this and didn't get anyway so decided to name and shame them on this site.


To name them must mean you know them.


Why is it that if you work in a place and someone either bullies you or whatever, they tell you to talk to them about it yet they don't want to do anything about it and then you are called snitch if you do, might as well keep you gob shut.

Sorry to be thick, but is all this to do with the Giggs case?

ETA Its ok, just seen it on the News

A U.K. Lawyer explained the twitter system a few days ago. Apparently it is the first person to Twitter who can be sued , no one else ,because the first
person is the one who started the gossip. Rumour has it that it was Piers Morgan, he must be worried.!!! It was thought that since Twitter was an
American site nothing legal can be done but it appears not to be the case.

So, South Tyneside council went to a court in America, with jurisdiction in America Giggs went to the High Court which doesn't have jurisdiction?
This will open the floodgates.

Karma...... Piers Morgan.
It seems anyone who has dealings with the Mcs suffers

Lillyofthevalley wrote:
Karma...... Piers Morgan.
It seems anyone who has dealings with the Mcs suffers

As I say, it is just a rumour and this twitter was so long they will be hardpushed to find the first one.

I must say,I don"t subscribe to the "if you play away be prepared for the gossip" type mentality. What people do in their Private life is their business, as
long as it is legal .

wjk wrote:So, South Tyneside council went to a court in America, with jurisdiction in America Giggs went to the High Court which doesn't have jurisdiction?
This will open the floodgates.

Yes, that's the difference. I bet the good citizens of South Tyneside are ecstatic that their Council Tax has been so wisely spent.

Panda wrote:

Lillyofthevalley wrote:
Karma...... Piers Morgan.
It seems anyone who has dealings with the Mcs suffers

As I say, it is just a rumour and this twitter was so long they will be hardpushed to find the first one.

I must say,I don"t subscribe to the "if you play away be prepared for the gossip" type mentality. What people do in their Private life is their business, as
long as it is legal .

I disagree, l have 5 nephews, 4 of whom are in their late teens early 20's, when they were growing up these football players were akin to Gods to them. I think they're an example to children of an age to be influenced and should behave themselves, what sort of message do they give out when they can't keep 'Percy' in their pants treating their wives like carp?

We all get gossiped about at some point, if you put yourself in the public eye and you misbehave the gossiping will go on in the newspapers not over back fences or in the pub.

If it's Piers Morgan l can't see him being bothered he loves controversy, he'll be a scapegoat and he will revel in it the public will be behind him.

margaret wrote:

Panda wrote:

Lillyofthevalley wrote:
Karma...... Piers Morgan.
It seems anyone who has dealings with the Mcs suffers

As I say, it is just a rumour and this twitter was so long they will be hardpushed to find the first one.

I must say,I don"t subscribe to the "if you play away be prepared for the gossip" type mentality. What people do in their Private life is their business, as
long as it is legal .

I disagree, l have 5 nephews, 4 of whom are in their late teens early 20's, when they were growing up these football players were akin to Gods to them. I think they're an example to children of an age to be influenced and should behave themselves, what sort of message do they give out when they can't keep 'Percy' in their pants treating their wives like carp?

We all get gossiped about at some point, if you put yourself in the public eye and you misbehave the gossiping will go on in the newspapers not over back fences or in the pub.

If it's Piers Morgan l can't see him being bothered he loves controversy, he'll be a scapegoat and he will revel in it the public will be behind him.

I agree, the Moral fibre among Celebrities is zilch , simply because they are overpaid and have no standards for youngsters to copy and a Media that delights in "outing" these miscreants. I still maintain their pecadillos should not be spread on the Front Page just to boost sales, not because the Press
cares a hoot about their Families and friends. the British Tabloid Press is obsessed with scandal as is the Public who buy their Papers, in fact The Press
in Britain has a bad reputation, no Dailies in any European Country are so obsessed with scandal.

Time to bring in Privacy Laws I think.