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back to article Wikipedia to disclose user's IP address in blackmail case

The High Court has ordered the publishers of the Wikipedia user-generated encyclopaedia to reveal information which could identify a contributor in a blackmail case involving an unnamed famous businesswoman. The Wikimedia Foundation said that it would not help to identify the user unless a court order was made, but that if the …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Blackmail, where's the money?

    Blackmail noun

    1. Extortion of money or something else of value from a person by the threat of exposing a criminal act or discreditable information.

    2. Something of value extorted in this manner.

    -------

    I don't see a mention of money, to be blackmail, where is the money for it to be blackmail? I think the blackmail part is a red herring.

    HOWEVER, read the detail, he points out that the likely person leaking her info is an employee of the company she is associated with, and also a claimed letter to press revealing the confidential info. Fact 6.

    So the second reason (likely breach of professional duty to privacy) is the likely reason he ruled that way. I also think he's right. Confidential info has been revealed, even sent to the press, the IP address likely points to the discloser. If the info was really criminal then it would have gone to the police not the press. Hence not a whistleblower in need of protection, more a pain in the ass with a chip on her shoulder (and it will be a she).

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  2. Owen Carter
    Grenade

    @ac

    The definition of blackmail says 'Money or soemothing of value'. You say 'I dont se emention of money so it is not blackmail'.

    Do I really have to point out that if the only thing of value to you is money, then you are a very sad individual.

    Maybe the 'Something' of value is career advancement, achieved by destroying or devaluing a colleague. Or it may even just be a classic bully thing; done because the perp gets a scully hard-on (something lots of AC's value) from slagging off others.

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  3. The First Dave

    untitled

    I bet Wikipedo would be fast enough to acknowledge the British courts if _they_ were the litigants.

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  4. Mad Hacker
    Headmaster

    Dumbed down a bit?

    You say:

    An IP address can be used by an internet service provider (ISP) to identify which internet connection was used to perform certain functions or view certain pages. This can help to connect a user with certain online activity.

    Ok, I think your readers know what an IP address is. Felt like I was reading an article on CNN for a moment.

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