Impersonating Twitter Inflames High Schools

It's a little hard to get from a first read because the names and other identifying features are being withheld due to them being minors, but as I understand it...

After Eastside High beat rival Seattle in a basketball game, somebody opened a bogus Twitter account in a name that closely resembles an Eastside player and sent derogatory, racist tweets to a Seattle player.

The Eastside student has become the target of threats and tensions between the two schools have increased, so the player who was impersonated has asked Twitter through an attorney for the identity of whomever opened the account and Twitter has agreed to release the information in their possession in twenty days.

The gap between the request and disclosure is to give the impersonator ample time to seek a court order barring release.

Anonymous Threats Still a Crime

Brian Crouse of Stanfordville NY "anonymously" commented on a story in the Torrington (CT) Register Citizen about a police detective receiving a reprimand for an off-duty confrontation, saying that the officer "needs a bullet between the eyes".

Reportedly within minutes, the newspaper pulled Mr. Crouse's comment and contacted officials with the offending IP, which resulted in an investigation and an order for arrest charging him with "breach of peace, second degree".

Lede: Paper Temporarily Disables Comments

Reader comments on Pantagraph.com often are informative, sparking serious dialogue on an issue of local or national interest. At other times, they are offensive and devoid of civility, the worst of which include personal attacks and/or assertions that have nothing to do with the story.

In recent weeks, we have seen too much of the latter on some local stories. Far too much. So, effective immediately and through the New Year’s holiday weekend, no comments will be allowed on new local content posted on Pantagraph.com.

Bloomington (IL) Pantagraph

Paper Super-Sleuths "Elmer Fudd"

A couple of days ago, I provided a "Snip" pointing toward a Myrtle Beach Sun News article detailing the newspaper's appearance in court, where they were ordered to turn over any registration info in their possession about an anonymous commenter named "Elmer Fudd".

Mr. "Fudd" is the target of a defamation lawsuit brought by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and the case is wholly based upon comments that he had made to the newspaper's forum.

It appears that all the newspaper had on the user was an email address (noadtax@gmail.com) and though they had no direct knowledge through their site registration, they discovered that the email address is also listed as contact for the owner of the Facebook page, "No Ad Tax".

And, the "No Ad Tax" Facebook page includes a link to a "No Ad Tax Petition" which was sponsored by the "No Ad Tax Organization of Myrtle Beach" -- Mark McBride is a leader in the "No Ad Tax" grassroots group.

Mr. McBride is a former Mayor and the current President of the Grand Strand Chamber of Commerce, a competing CoC and though he wouldn't comment about "cartoon characters" when contacted by the paper, the founder of the GSCoC has come forward to say that Mr. McBride has revealed himself to him and has assured him that his organization's computers weren't used to post the comments.

Update (12/7): More from the man who outed McBride & Locals React

Snip: Commenter Anonymity

A Horry County circuit court judge Thursday granted a motion by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to compel the The Sun News to turn over the online registration information of Elmer Fudd, a commenter accused of posting false and defamatory information about the chamber on the newspaper's site.

(Source)