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Unethical, but is revealing IP address illegal?

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by KenYN, Nov 28, 2007.

  1. #1
    On a blog I read, some new poster made a comment that was misconstrued as a flame by the owner. The owner posted a reply to the effect of "I looked up your profile through studentlist.uni-name.edu/search.cgi and blah, blah."

    He could only have got that from the poster's IP address as recorded by WordPress, but in the absense of a privacy policy on his blog, is revealing that information hidden to all other reader illegal?
     
    KenYN, Nov 28, 2007 IP
    Qryztufre likes this.
  2. Cameron [NetXHosting]

    Cameron [NetXHosting] Peon

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    #2
    Well, It's not illegal if there is no privacy policy.
     
    Cameron [NetXHosting], Nov 29, 2007 IP
  3. AstarothSolutions

    AstarothSolutions Peon

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    #3
    In the UK it would now be illegal not to have a privacy policy (only found out the other day)

    You would need to check which countries laws govern the site and what their privacy/ data protection laws are to judge if it is illegal or not
     
    AstarothSolutions, Nov 29, 2007 IP
  4. KenYN

    KenYN Peon

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    #4
    This is a site in Japan - I've checked the Japan laws, but it's not clear. It's illegal not to have a privacy policy, I think, though.

    Thinking more about it, it was actually just the hidden email address he used to look up the guy, and he published on his blog the guy's full name and college he attends. Nobody's going to sue anyone, but the webmaster has not apologised, despite the guy whose privacy was breached posting a long apology for causing the webmaster to misconstrue his post.
     
    KenYN, Nov 29, 2007 IP
  5. thewindmaster

    thewindmaster The Man with the Plan

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    #5
    As you said, this is certainly very unethical, but I do not believe it is illegal.
     
    thewindmaster, Nov 29, 2007 IP
  6. KenYN

    KenYN Peon

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    #6
    Oh, I should have added that the irony is that the person doing the leaking is a human rights advocate, and the leak was on a human rights blog...
     
    KenYN, Nov 29, 2007 IP
  7. UKWebmasterForum

    UKWebmasterForum Guest

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    #7
    Hmm, now I wouldn't consider an IP address as 'sensitive' data, and I would imagine this is not illegal, however you would have to find this out yourself (constitutional laws, etc, etc). But it is definatle unethical.

    If it was your name, address, or any other contact details, then yes if it breaches the privacy policy or your right - it is more than likely to be illegal. In this case I am doubtful that it is.

    It wouldn't be illegal however to share the website URL so we know not to go to such a site ;) - joking, but I would be interested to see the site.

    Good luck, and I hope you find a stable answer soon. Keep this thread updated please :).
     
    UKWebmasterForum, Nov 29, 2007 IP
  8. KenYN

    KenYN Peon

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    #8
    KenYN, Nov 30, 2007 IP
  9. Lightning-Software

    Lightning-Software Well-Known Member

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    #9
    The internet is still the wild west, anything and everything is used to drive website traffic, even picking on a blog commenter's and revealing there explicit ebay purchases, which ends up getting them fired from there job... You get the point, everyone is watching and listening so wear clean underwear, cover your tracks as good as possible if you don't want to be bothered...
    Everyone who plays World of Warcraft has agreed to let Blizzard scan there entire hard drive.
    Just my 2 cents, internet = best tool ever to harass or steal someone's identitiy
     
    Lightning-Software, Nov 30, 2007 IP