How anonymous can a website 'owner' be?

[Colin F]

Will vBulletin turn over my license information to her just based upon her request?

No.

[dtg-forums]

Some situations demand it...

If you need to ask the question, you shouldn't create the site.

I disagree. There have been many reprisals on people running controversial web sites... particularly when you start messing with revenue streams -- such as in the case of ANTI-SPAM sites. Terrorists, identity thieves and Illegal Drug cartels have embraced the web as a primary revenue source. Much of it is run by extremists or organized crime who would think nothing of killing you if they could find you.

Remember what happened to Green Frog.

Why do you think so many criminals run their operations through foreign servers and take so much effort in masking their identities and locations. It works the same way for 'honest' web sites, except the "good guys" either don't have the nerve, or haven't figured out yet how to elude all inquiries.

:-) I'd be very careful.

Fred
______________________________
Design Café and Photoshop 911

[dtg-forums]

Easy subpoena

Any suggestions to what I may want to do next? How easily can she subpoena me? Will vBulletin turn over my license information to her just based upon her request?

That individual would have to file a complaint, civil or criminal suit. Then the magistrate (or judge) would have to find merit enough to move with the suit. ONE out of 1,000 subpoena are pure bluff or talk. I've been threatened by lawyers many times, (even by some pretty big players) and responded with "Bring'em on" or some such. They've never been heard from again.

Likewise, I've filed several times on web site owners, only to be turned away by the bench each and every time.

Your case doesn't sound like one that would make it into the courts... at least without a LOT of money. A LOT. So I wouldn't worry. If you're the boss of your forums, turn that person off.

Fred
______________________________
Design Café and Photoshop 911

[rnmcd]

Likewise, I've filed several times on web site owners, only to be turned away by the bench each and every time.

For what type of reasons have you felt it necessary to pursue legal action against a site owner?

[JakeS]

Thats sort of stupid as you wont be able to object to a domain name transfer. With internic or your domain company unable to identify you as the owner and contact you, they would probably forfeit the domain name.

Which is why I personally don't give a damn about hiding my self from the internet well credit cards and stuff I hide but who doesn't? I wouldn't want my credit card to go all over the world to everyone and neither would you..

[rnmcd]

If you're the boss of your forums, turn that person off.

I tried to do that...she threatened me with a subpoena when I attempted to remove her from the forums.

[Zonex]

I tried to do that...she threatened me with a subpoena when I attempted to remove her from the forums.

More reason to ban her.

[rnmcd]

I can't afford a lawyer.

[Zonex]

Well at least you learned a lesson. Pay a little extra when buying a domain. If you have already registered it under your name there's not much you can do except remove yourself as an administrator without access to the data and let someone else take it over anonymously. Katz Global is the way to go for 100% anonymity...all you divulge is an email address.

[rnmcd]

It took a while longer than I thought it would but I was finally sued.

It doesn't look like I can contest this. They (Righthaven) won a judgement. I didn't even get a cease and desist.

I had never heard of RightHaven until now.

Here's some info:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100722/03152710320.shtml

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/righthaven-saving-the-newspaper-industry-one-lawsuit-at-a-time.ars

I'm looking into Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

[Shamil.]

It took a while longer than I thought it would but I was finally sued.

It doesn't look like I can contest this. They (Righthaven) won a judgement. I didn't even get a cease and desist.

I had never heard of RightHaven until now.

Here's some info:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100722/03152710320.shtml

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/righthaven-saving-the-newspaper-industry-one-lawsuit-at-a-time.ars

I'm looking into Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Oh no. Not Righthaven again....