Various entities have been trying to chip away at internet freedoms since it was born. Most times, they lose their bids for restriction mainly based on the fact that most of this crap is simply unenforceable in the real world.
I think the answer is, at this point since they are getting sued anyway, to broadcast their woes far and wide. In the hacker community, grassroots stuff, bumperstickers, rally's, petitions, and include links to all the news articles.
Lose the woe-is-us mentality and get militant. If they have no money, maybe they can just get a public defender for an attorney. I have no idea how that would work with the international aspects.
Don't count too heavily on the first ammendment stuff. I have seen it completely stepped on and squashed like a bug in trials here. Depends on the case and it's relative "appalling" factor. The fact that the dude in question has a shady background could work in favor of your friends.
The bottom line, for me, is that when you play with fire you must expect to be burned sooner or later. A beekeeper has to have enough balls to tolerate stings. A website that plays judge, jury and executioner is going to eventually piss off someone. I'm sure they post what they post out of the goodness of their hearts and to "save" people from horrible mistakes and not just to drag people through public mud for the fun of it. Then again, maybe it's all about the dragging and the mud. In which case, they manifested this bed and now have to sleep in it.
Jennifer
|