I think this law will be very beneficial, also to bullying. I hope this gets approved.

To stop bullying and catch offenders.

I have seen many famous names posting on Town Square. Will this stop it?

Famous names? Really?

I think this law will be used more often to harass innocent defendants than it will be used to fix real problems.

Could be used to have Alfred not post under another famous name...

heh heh heh

read this one quick, cuz it's gone

unless the editors started the holiday early... :-)

After all, have you ever seen Alfred and Thomas in the same room? Debating free speech, perhaps?

merry ho-ho

Alfred,

Big fan. Nice to see you are close by in Atherton. Call me.

Ginny:

Ain't you the sweetest!

Alas, I misplaced your number and there is not a means of linkiing here. Just keep an eye out for me around town drinking, appropriately enough, gin.

Alternatively, find Mr Jefferson, or just looks for my ears....

as always with Simitians laws, lots of BS but no money or guidelines for enforcement. Had to laugh when Carl Guardino of the "Silicon Valley Leadership Group" claims his name was misused. Really? Heres a group that has changed their name from the Silicon Manufacturing Group to several other names over the past 10 years.Fact is their a lobbying group who change their name when their confronted by reason and support all taxes except those directly that will effect business's.

"The law will also allow victims to sue for compensation in civil court"
Legislators should enact laws with penalties, not open the floodgates for the trial lawyers.

"Legislators should enact laws with penalties, not open the floodgates for the trial lawyers. "

And then de-fund the regulating agencies leaving zero enforcement mechanisms?

Haven't we learned that regulations and a reasonable enforcement mechanism protect the middle class and working families of this great nation?

Lawsuitsbegone and anonymous,
You both have good points. Laws that allow instant recourse for people are really the best, because as soon as you allow for lawsuits (and only lawsuits), it means big interests get involved and often justice is delayed and denied. Lawyers cost money; they only like to take the easy-to-win cases. Lawsuits are incredibly stressful and can cause more injury than the original problem being litigated. When big money interests like insurers get involved, they often commit that kind of harm on purpose through the suit to get the result they want (creating further injustice).

My impression is that strong injunctive relief is the most important, giving the person wronged the right to have everything defamatory removed without a huge fight or hassle and to have costs covered (e.g., using organizations like Reputation Defenders). There should also be damages spelled out, specific damages, so that going to court is a clear way to enforce already clear damages and people can't play games in court (unless it's a really large suit that will necessarily be complicated). Only when there are specific damages easily enforced is the threat of a court case an actual deterrent. (Then you get fewer court cases, not more.)