Character Assassination
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I recently found a blog targeted at me. The blog stole photographs from one of my social networking accounts (now deleted) and also humiliates and lies about me throughout. It even accuses me of being a member of an explicit dating website by showing a screenshot of an email address not owned by me. It is so basic, the fraudulent email address is (email visible only to moderators and staff) .
The blog also thrives on criticising photos of me directly and making direct offensive comments to the business I work for.
I have a rare surname and the blog therefore ranks highly in google searches of my name. It has plagued me since its publication, hindering my ability to apply for jobs and also effecting my family, especially younger members of my family who have become bullied because of the ease of accessibility to this damaging and malicious blog.
I have tried contacting the writer numerous times, each has been ignored. I have also reported my situation to WordPress 3 times, and have received not one single reply.
On a whole the blog never mentions me again, and I only wish for this one post to be removed.
Can anyone please help me?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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WordPress is not a court of law. If someone is committing defamation against you, it’s probably a matter for you to take up with your lawyer. If someone is indulging in illegal speech rather than actionable speech, it’s a matter for the police.
If you want to assert copyright over those images, that is something WordPress.com would likely take action on, but you’d have to prove that you owned the copyright.
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Thank you Raincoaster for your reply. Unfortunately I’m only 19, I don’t have a lawyer. Or, if I’m right, that type of money. The internet really is becoming a breeding ground for faceless offenders with zero laws or restrictions. There will never be enough manpower to police stuff like this, and if I’m not mistaken there have been more extreme cases than mine that have resulted in dire consequences. Including a 40 yr old man in America committing suicide, and a married couple relocating.
I just can’t believe that freedom of speech can be manipulated to such a level to condone such defamation.
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Copyright law says you don’t have to prove you own the copyright. You just have to make a signed statement (subject to criminal liability if it is false) stating that you are the copyright holder, as per the DMCA:
Criticism and offensive material are not illegal nor against the WordPress.com terms of service. We are not a court or the police and cannot investigate or adjudicate the accuracy of claims written on blogs. That’s what the legal system is for.
We cannot respond to complaints for legal reasons.
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