Judge Orders Satirical Site To Remove Joke Story About Fictional Giraffe Attack
from the there-goes-the-onion dept
There are tons of "satirical" news websites out there (pretty much all of them are following -- not nearly as well -- in the trail blazed by The Onion) and every so often it is true that someone gets "fooled" by one of those sites. But it usually doesn't take long for the fooled party to set things straight. But apparently the Global Wildlife Center in Louisiana thinks that a satire about itself is illegal... and somehow has convinced a judge of that as well. Romenesko points us to the news that a judge has issued an injunction forcing a blog to pull down its satirical story about a supposed "giraffe attack" at the Center. The story was a play on the usual stories of tiger or bear attacks. Who knows if it was actually funny or not, but the Center's director is upset that "it's malicious and untrue." It's satire. It wasn't malicious, but the whole point is that it's untrue. It's pretty sad that the judge agreed to shut it down, and the Center's argument that it can't be satire because "the site isn't labeled as satire" is pretty ridiculous as well. Should everyone writing satire be forced to label it as such?Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: free speech, giraffes, satire
Companies: global wildlife center
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SarcMarc!
Oh, wait, I might need one now...
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If the Only TRUE Satire is marked as such...
It is so clear now! Johnathan Swift was a baby eating cannibal and he convinced us all he was really writing satire! We should have known for the lack of a full disclaimer that makes it clear!
(... Do I even need to say it?)
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Re: If the Only TRUE Satire is marked as such...
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Um.
I'm not understanding.
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Re: Um.
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Re: Re: Um.
Money = Speech
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Re: Um.
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Re: Re: Um.
The first five words leave absolutely ZERO leeway for your so-called exceptions. Individual states, however can add clauses such as defamatory material.
10th Ammendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
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Re: Um.
> a right to freedom of speech?
It clearly does. Based on the 200+ years of jurisdprudence illuminating the 1st Amendment, this judge's order was illegal.
Shouldn't be too hard to have it overturned on appeal, if the site owner has the desire and funding to continue to defend the case.
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Re:
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Re:
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Just put
TA-DAAAAAAA!!
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Re: Just put
And there's also the reverse question mark '⸮' for a rhetorical question (¿ is for asking questions in Spanish!)
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Stephen Colbert and his provider are fucking retarded
THEY'LL sue you for a comment but DONT touch him doing it to you
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Re: Stephen Colbert and his provider are fucking retarded
Then I watch Republicans on CSPAN, realize that they aren't doing it for ratings, and I'm relieved. It's all a joke, just not intentionally.
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Is the judge going to order that the entire Onion site be removed now?
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-----
Local officials have been preparing a list of area-specific questions to include in the national census which will be arriving in mail boxes this month.
The extra information will enable the Tangipahoa government to better serve locals by tailoring resources and services to our particular needs.
HAN was able to get a preview of the new “Tangi Census” that residents can expect to receive.
UNITED STATES CENSUS - Tangipahoa Parish (SAMPLE)
Residents are under no legal obligation to complete the amended forms.
1. Where do you and your family prefer to worship?
A. Catholic church
B. Galvalume church
C. Wal-Mart
2. What most concerns your family?
A. Afghan troops in Independence
B. Suicide golf cart attacks in Hammond
C. The legal confiscation of body parts
3. What is your vote worth to you?
A. As a passionate believer in our democracy, my vote is vitally important.
B. $20
If you answered B, please enter your name and address below.
4. Do you miss Arden Wells’ election commercials?
A. Yes, very much
B. Oh yes
C. Absolutely
5. How far will you drive for a bottle of wine on Sundays?
A. 20 miles or less
B. More than 20 miles
C. The Piggly Wiggly in Springfield
-----
http://www.hammondactionnews.com/post/421121088/2010census
If you don't recognize that as satire, then you're a moron in a hurry.
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In a related story
Fortunately none of the lemmings were harmed.
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Re: In a related story
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change the name?
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Re: change the name?
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Re: Re: change the name?
Yes, because satire works so much better when you have to encode the subject of it.
Are you British, perchance?
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Re: Re: Re: change the name?
What would being British have to do with your point? I don't think The Guardian encoded anything when they titled a piece "A peek at the diary of Sir Elton John".
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Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
They have much stricter libel laws, to the point where even truth is not a defense.
That they also have a lot of satire and exposé confuses me, but they're a jurisdiction-shopping destination for a reason.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
[Citation Needed]
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
He is presumably referring to Noonan v. Staples, Inc. but Wikipedia points out that the first amendment was not invoked and casts doubt on the decision effecting future cases significantly.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
I hate our idiotic laws as much as anyone but as someone who is expected to abide by them I have to point out that this statement is false. Truth might not be an absolute defence but it is certainly still a valid defence.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: change the name?
I feel for you, but I can't wrap my head around the concept of speaking the truth, but being found guilty of libel.
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Re: Re: change the name?
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Re: Re: change the name?
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giraffe attack
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Re: giraffe attack
Oh, I meant Tiger.
The American culture that allows a human to be tortured by mainstream media but rules against satire of institutions and animals by a fringe comedy writers consists of very warped values.
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Fiction based on fact
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Re: Fiction based on fact
Oh grow a pair. Everyone knows that penguins are the real menace.
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Meanwhile, the original web site gets its digs in:
'DAMAGED' ALLIGATOR THREATENS LEGAL ACTION
http://www.hammondactionnews.com/post/415592247/gatorlawsuit0210
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Offensive Satire
Swift is more illustrative.
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Anyone been following the Amanda Palmer/Evelyn Evelyn drama?
To quickly summarize:
* An album produced by Amanda
* By "conjoined twins" (with a full backstory that's later going to be put into comic book form via Dark Horse)
* Without hearing the record/getting most of the contest, people freak out
* There becomes a war of "This is offensive" vs "you fucking thought this was REAL? You're DUMB!" type comments
Amanda's response is available at:
http://blog.amandapalmer.net/post/396762227/evelyn-evelyn-drama-drama
(One of my other favorite/most interesting responses to the whole thing was at http://amuchmoreexotic.livejournal.com/408855.html)
While I can see both sides of the argument (a lot more than in the case of the giraffe), it's definitely very bizarre to see stuff like this go down at all........
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Re: Anyone been following the Amanda Palmer/Evelyn Evelyn drama?
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¿ Aint technology grand ¿
(see I made it sarcastic by the use of ¿ ..LOL)
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ROFL
Tune In
(May the gods of Irony, Sarcasm, & Satire defecate upon the Judge and Plaintiffs in this ridiculous farce of supreme stupidity.)
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Love the site
They got their digs in with this story as well:
http://www.hammondactionnews.com/post/413333550/missingace
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Napoleon
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Re: Napoleon
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Uh.
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Re: Uh.
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Please join the casue to prevent these horrible events from ever happening again!
Dumbasses.
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Re: Please join the casue to prevent these horrible events from ever happening again!
get your facts straight kid.
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Re: Re: Please join the casue to prevent these horrible events from ever happening again!
"Global Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization, any funding for cases such as these come straight out of pocket of a third party.
get your facts straight kid."
i believe nonprofit organizations have an amount of funding for representation in court, after all it is in the interest of the organization to pay to represent themselves, as is the premise of a non-profit. it is a question of whether or not their decision actually was beneficial. the wildlife organization obviously saw this as a large enough threat to their well being to take action. the site is certainly satirical, though.
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Re: Please join the casue to prevent these horrible events from ever happening again!
get your facts straight kid.
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Giraffe attack documented
that the story was true could help :-)
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Our court system
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