NJ court: No shield law for message boards posters

[incarcerated]

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/07/368...aw-doesnt.html

N.J. court: No shield law for bloggers

By BETH DeFALCO
Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 7, 2011 - 7:39 am
TRENTON, N.J. -- The New Jersey Supreme Court says people posting in online message boards don't have the same protections for sources as mainstream journalists.

The court ruled Tuesday that New Jersey's shield law for journalists does not apply to such message boards.

The case involved a New Jersey-based software company named Too Much Media. It sued a Washington state blogger for defamation and wanted her to reveal sources she cited on message board posts.

Shellee Hale claimed customer information was compromised and that she should be protected from revealing her sources.

New Jersey's highest court says online message boards are little more than forums for discussion and don't fit the definition of news media as described by the law.

[rdret1]

Originally Posted by incarcerated

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/07/368...aw-doesnt.html

N.J. court: No shield law for bloggers

By BETH DeFALCO
Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Jun. 7, 2011 - 7:39 am
TRENTON, N.J. -- The New Jersey Supreme Court says people posting in online message boards don't have the same protections for sources as mainstream journalists.

The court ruled Tuesday that New Jersey's shield law for journalists does not apply to such message boards.

The case involved a New Jersey-based software company named Too Much Media. It sued a Washington state blogger for defamation and wanted her to reveal sources she cited on message board posts.

Shellee Hale claimed customer information was compromised and that she should be protected from revealing her sources.

New Jersey's highest court says online message boards are little more than forums for discussion and don't fit the definition of news media as described by the law.

I didn't see a "related" story which might explain the background case for this. Do you know what the original complaint was about?

[incarcerated]

Originally Posted by rdret1

I didn't see a "related" story which might explain the background case for this. Do you know what the original complaint was about?

http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opi...MediavHale.pdf

See also:
http://law.justia.com/cases/new-jers...64-09-opn.html

[rdret1]

Thanks. That was quite a read.