|
|
Gil, again (no Island!)
Gregory A. Finnegan (Gregory.A.Finnegan@DARTMOUTH.EDU)
Tue, 3 May 1994 22:21:11 EDT
Those with memories back to ANTHRO-L's middle ages might turn with interest
to an article on p. A30 of the 27 April 1994 CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION:
Geoffrey Maslen: "Archaeologist Wins Defamation Suit Over Material Put Out
on Internet."
Some excerpts:
"David Rindos [much written about on ANTHRO-L], an American anthropologist
who lost his job at the University of Western Australia last year, was
awarded $40,000 by Western Australia's Supreme Court after it found that
comments made about him on an Internet bulletin board were defamatory. The
award is equal to $28,000 in U.S. dollars.
Mr. Rindos claimed that a consulting anthropologist, Gilbert Hardwick,
defamed him in a statement on his dismissal that appeared on the
sci.anthropology bulletin board in June 1993. ...Mr. Hardwick...did not
appear in court to defend his action and the judgement was entered in
default. He could not be reached for comment."
"It is the first case in Australia--and possibly in the world--in which a
judgement has been brought against someone for what they said on the global
web of computer networks."
The whole article is a quarter-page, and goes into detail on the defamation
and the the court's findings. The court didn't merely enter a judgement 'cuz
Gil didn't show--they specifically discussed his remarks and their injurious
nature. Certainly interesting to see that sometimes chickens (kookaburras?)
come home to roost!
Greg.Finnegan@Dartmouth.edu
Reference-Bibliographer
& Adjunct Assoc. Prof. of Anthro.
Dartmouth College Library
6025 Baker Library, Room 104
Hanover NH 03755-3525
603/646-2833 voice
603/646-2167 fax
|