Google Ordered To Reveal Blogger's IP In Israel

from the sorry,-no-anonymity-for-you dept

Tue, Nov 27th 2007 9:11am — Mike Masnick

Someone who prefers to remain anonymous writes in to let us know that: "An Israeli court has ordered Google to reveal the identity of a blogger that uses Google's own blogging platform, Blogger. The blogger accused a Shaarei Tikva comity member of illegal acts all through his blog posts. Google objected to the request claiming freedom of speech, however the court sided with the plaintiff and said that since the plaintiff is a public figure running for reelection, he is allowed to confront his accuser and clear his name." Google did, apparently, try to reach the blogger in question who did not respond, and the company only needs to hand over an IP address -- which isn't necessarily the blogger's "identity," though it could lead to it. There's nothing wrong with a court requiring a service provider to cough up identifying information on someone who has broken the law -- but it gets into very tricky territory when it comes to things like libel. We recently covered a number of similar cases in the UK where the results were the same -- but a case in the US had the judge determine that the anonymous speech was protected and the person shouldn't be revealed. It seems likely that we're only going to see more of these cases over time -- and questions about jurisdiction are only going to make them more confusing. What if the blogger in this case actually resides in the US, for example?

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Filed Under: anonymity, blogging, israel
Companies: google

33 Comments

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TheDock22, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:30am

Here's an idea...
Don't let people be anonymous on the Internet. Then maybe they would be a tad bit more thoughtful in what they post.
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GrammarMan, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:33am

First sentence after the quote uses "thought" instead of "though"... just so you know =)
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atomatom, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:36am

If the blogger is Israeli then Google is doing business in Israel, and has to treat its Israeli customers under Israeli law. If they can't abide by Israeli law then they should not let Israelis use their services.
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OwningXylophone, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:39am

Re: Here's an idea...
"Don't let people be anonymous on the Internet."

Isn't that a touch hypocritical coming from someone called 'TheDock22'??
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anon, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:54am

Re: Here's an idea...
....says Dock22.
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Jack B. Nimble, 27 Nov 2007 @ 9:57am

Hey Dock22,

Would you please include your ip address when you post.
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Casper, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:06am

Re: Here's an idea...
Don't let people be anonymous on the Internet. Then maybe they would be a tad bit more thoughtful in what they post.

Wow, that is quite possibly the most idiotic thing I have heard today. I applaud you for the humor you have contributed to my day, however, I object to the fact you may reproduce.
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Mike (profile), 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:07am

Re:
First sentence after the quote uses "thought" instead of "though"... just so you know =)

Fixed, thanks!
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Rick, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:09am

Re:
"If the blogger is Israeli then Google is doing business in Israel"

Isn't the blogger doing business in the USA since Google is in the US? Does Google need to obey an Israeli court?
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Ed Alexander (Indianapolis), 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:11am

anonymous posting ...
Anonymous posting breeds rude comments and degrades our ability to use a civil approach to find the truth.
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Yea Right, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:12am

Re: Here's an idea...
So "TheDock22" Is that the name your mother gave ya ?
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Anonymous 2, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:22am

Re: anonymous posting ...
Fuck you, Ed
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atomatom, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:24am

"Isn't the blogger doing business in the USA since Google is in the US? Does Google need to obey an Israeli court?"

Really, it's both. The blogger is doing business with a US company... but Google is accessed in Israel. It's complicated, but I suppose it's sort of like Google is shipping a product to Israel that has to comply with Israeli regulations.
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Bob Jones, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:44am

I think the country where the user lives is key ... especially if Google does anything there, like R&D.

I think expectations to export American law around the globe are a tad colonial ...
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TheDock22, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:47am

Re: Re: Here's an idea...
So "TheDock22" Is that the name your mother gave ya ?

Well Dock is in my name. But I was mostly trying to be sarcastic than make a truthful statement. People are touchy today.
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angry dude, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:56am

Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha
Hey, Mikey

You know my IP, don't you ?

Now try to get a name... Good luck with that...

Hint: if you post through a proxy firewall the only way to get a computer and person id is by using a court ordered subpoena on firewall logs - a highly unlikely event unless you do something really really stipud, like threaten some high-ranking government official etc.
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B, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:56am

Re: anonymous posting ...
"Anonymous posting breeds rude comments and degrades our ability to use a civil approach to find the truth." People also tend speak more truthfully when anonymous.
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Verse, 27 Nov 2007 @ 10:57am

+1 for user lives ruling, when you sign up for things like prize games and things, it clearly states in the EUA that you must be in a country that allows this, thus it's irrelevant where the servers are held, it's up to the user to abide by the rules in their own country IMO
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Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased), 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:06am

Re: Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha
You think Mike cares? Jokes on you paranoid angry dude.
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angry dude, 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:22am

Re: Re: Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha
angry dude doesn't care

Always wear clean underwear
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:37am

Re: anonymous posting ...
Anonymous posting also allows the truth to come out in cases where people fear some type of persecution for telling it.
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Shun, 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:39am

Doing business in Israel
Fortunately, or not, when you do business in a foreign country, you need to abide by their laws. If a blogger starts his blog in Israel, it makes Google into a "doing business in Israel site". This is true of all commercial law. As long as some company puts its goods into the "Stream of Commerce" any court can claim jurisdiction.
There are famous U.S. cases about this practice. Most notably, International Shoe v. Washington (326 U.S. 310 (1945)). The question should be: "Is Google 'doing business' by making blogspot available to people in Israel?" Are they making any money from blogspot? Probably.

There is precedent for blocking IP addresses coming from foreign IP's. Notice Torrentspy's decision to block all U.S. originating IP addresses. This would turn Google into a non-world-wide phenomenon (offer not available in certain countries, YMMV). Of course, the horse is already out the gate, in this case, so it won't help this Anonymous Blogger.

Google can whine and go to the U.S. government. We'll see what happens after that. This could get interesting.
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Shun, 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:41am

Oops, I meant Blogger
Sorry, my mistake.
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Danglerose, 27 Nov 2007 @ 11:42am

Re: Here's an idea...
I appreciate the simplicity of your approach, but with the apathy already rampant in our society (and others) we need to encourage people to speak out, and then rely on our own grey matter to separate fact from fiction. I am willing to tolerate infinite rudeness if it leads to the news that we need being brought out into the open since the established media outlets seem less and less inclined and able to do so. Stick and stones, eh..?
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freedoman, 27 Nov 2007 @ 12:10pm

if they don't like it don't read it.freedom of speech at all costs!
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Killer_Tofu (profile), 27 Nov 2007 @ 12:34pm

Danglerose ..
.. has a very good point and I am inclined to agree.
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erock, 27 Nov 2007 @ 3:08pm

Re: Doing business in Israel
how will israel enforce any ruling on google when all there assets are in the US? Israel cant do anything unless they were to come to the us with weapons and say google give us the ip address.
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lost_monkey, 27 Nov 2007 @ 4:06pm

Re: Doing business in Israel
"Isn't the blogger doing business in the USA since Google is in the US? Does Google need to obey an Israeli court?"

"how will israel enforce any ruling on google when all there assets are in the US? Israel cant do anything unless they were to come to the us with weapons and say google give us the ip address."

All Israel has to do is ban google's ip from their country much like China has done several times, and Google will change their tone. It would be difficult to prove Google is "wrong" by not coughing up the IP, but you can't stop Israel from banning Google either.
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Objective, 3 Dec 2007 @ 1:32am

The English translation of the Israeli Blogspot bl
A new blog is providing English translations from the blog and also from the judge's verdict. It is extremely educational. Why don't you see for yourself and then make an informed decision. This is the democratic way. Here is the link: http://shaarei-tikva.behirot.net
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Dec 2007 @ 3:14pm

It would be easy enough to confront the truth with what people say if someone defends their name just as they did against a person who isn't anonymous.
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sass, 20 Feb 2009 @ 3:07pm

typical of israel to persecute this guy. but then again israel is in the persecuting business
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radha65 (profile), 23 Jul 2009 @ 12:03am

chaneg ip address
Thanks for giving this information. I am searching for how to change the ip address. and also i found a website for chk the ip address from ip details.com at a free of cost.
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Chuckthebull, 19 Jun 2019 @ 10:58pm

censorship
Calling psychopaths like Nettyyahoo gets you abused by the state...these tyrannical maniacs want full scale dominance and control, the slander idea being used to silence criticism of the state is another scummy tactic of the fascist class.
abusing the law to force compliance with these shills and corrupt political establishment whores in USrAel.
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