IP: COLLEGE WEB SITE STIRS FREE-SPEECH DEBATE

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

An English professor at the City College of San Francisco, Daniel
Curzon Brown, has filed a lawsuit that aims to shut down a Web
site for posting a scathing evaluation of him. The suit has
sparked a debate over free speech and libel on the Internet. The
site, started in1997 by former student Ryan Lathouwers, posts
anonymous reviews of professors to help students choose classes.
The suit could set a precedent for freedom of expression on the
Internet, says the ACLU. "The value of preserving [the First
Amendment] far outweighs the harm of hurt feelings," says ACLU
staff attorney Ann Brick. The Internet is not bound by the same
rules of libel and defamation that apply to newspapers, legal
experts say. ISPs are not liable for content on their sites
under the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which aims to
encourage ISPs to self-monitor their sites. The suit also names
City College because the school's Web page links to the offending
site, but the school cites First Amendment concerns in its
decision not to shut down the site. (Washington Times, 24 April 2000)