1. In your opinion, should employers, victimized individuals, and others who have been damaged by anonymous postings be able to obtain the identity of the poster from the hosting site or the poster’s ISP? Explain.
2. An FBI agent monitored an AOL chat room suspected of being a site for exchanging child pornography. The agent did not participate in the chat room conversations. Charbonneau allegedly distributed child pornography to the chat room participants, including the FBI agent. Charbonneau was arrested. Did Charbonneau have a First Amendment free speech right to transmit child pornography online? Explain.
3. Having read these materials on freedom of speech and the limits on the right to anonymity, what would you advise a friend who was a regular blogger? A classmate posting comments on www.ratemyprofessors.com? Your middle school cousin who is an avid Facebook user? Explain.
Defendant Jean Doe, a/k/a “moonshine_fr,” appeals from an order . . . denying her motion to quash a subpoena issued to Yahoo! by plaintiff, Immunomedics, Inc., seeking all personally identifiable information relating to the person or identity who posted messages on the Yahoo! Finance Message Board under the identifier “moonshine_fr” which may identify or lead to the identification of that person or entity.