Local Blog is a protected outlet for disgruntled visitors

Local Blog is a protected outlet for disgruntled visitors



Written by Marissa Edwards
Wednesday, 09 August 2006
A new website is on the rise and is keeping tabs on Del Mar College activities. The site — www.delmarhousekeeping.blogspot.com — is an anonymous input forum. The forum promotes users to “Feel free to make your complaints, suggestions, and praise respectfully well known.” Main stories on the site include attacks on the Del Mar administration and the people who are associated with the College.On one of these posts, an anonymous user charges in-house council Mike Westergren as being “corrupt.” The same user warns to “trust no one in authority at the college.” Westergren has not seen these posts, but says that sites like these can “cross the line.”“Some of these posts can even be libel,” Westergren said, though he has not visited this particular site.Libel is defamation that is published, a false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures that damages a person’s reputation. In almost any other case, libel’s definition is applied. Newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations have been sued for libel. The Internet has proved to be harder. Blogs have been sued but few, if any, have won their libel suits.According to a section of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, this law provides bloggers and Internet hosts broad protection from lawsuits when they publish content, including housing ads, created by others.On another blog that was posted, an anonymous user accuses Joe Fulton as being a “pimp” and charges the college as being swayed by money.This site allows for these users to say what they want without always taking the responsibility for their posts. Whether bloggers take responsibility for their posts or not, the site provides space for venting. And whether this venting turns libel or not, the site will remain for bloggers to post what they feel necessary about Del Mar.