Most of you have probably already heard about the model who sued Google for the right to know the identity of an anonymous blogger who called her a skank...and won!
Read the article here
She wants to know the bloggers name so she can sue them. This got me thinking....
First I tried to remember how many people I have called a skank either in my posts or in comments on other people's posts. Did I name names? Was it an individual or did I refer to a group of people as skanks? If it was a group of people, could they possibly start a class action against me????
Then I started to think about what this means for bloggers in general. Obviously you're anonymity cannot be guaranteed for a start. What exactly can we and can we not say? If calling someone a skank is crossing the line, what isn't? Isn't skankiness in the eye of the beholder? Or is there an actual definition for it?
Then I started to think about what the court case would actually be like. The blogger would have to prove that the model is a skank. I would love to be in that courtroom for that argument. Dictionary.com defines skank as:
1. A rhythmic dance performed to reggae or ska music, characterized by bending forward, raising the knees, and extending the hands.
2. Disgusting or vulgar matter; filth.
3. One who is disgustingly foul or filthy and often considered sexually promiscuous. Used especially of a woman or girl.//-->
So according to this definition, they have to prove she is either a filthy slut or a dance!
I think we all have our own definition as to what a skank really is. I, for one, think it's pretty skanky when someone flirts outrageously with someone else's boyfriend/husband right in front of them. Other people would not reconcile this with skankiness.
What is your definition of skankiness? And do you ever worry that you're crossing the line with your posts?
Somebody the other day asked me if I thought bloggers should be subject to censorship and/or accountability for what they post. Maybe it was in regard to this case? Anyway, I told them that there should be no censorship. After all, this is about freedom of expression. But accountability is another story...we're bound to get results on whatever we post...if anyone reads it, lol!
ReplyDeleteSkankiness: When you're sitting in a waiting room at a nice doctor's or business office and a girl comes up to sign in right in front of you, bends over, and has on a short skirt up to her butt, skin tight, and you can unfortunately see what kind of underwear she has on...not good...skankiness. Come on, this is not a club, girl!
I thought about saying fuck my life in a post until i thought about the repercussions i would suffer at the hands of life.
ReplyDeleteSo this will make people think she's not a skank..?
but seriously, that's ridiculous. maybe the best way to stay safe is to use question marks.
like this!
Miley Cyrus slut?
T-Pain, the coke addict?
Pete Wentz has nude pictures. eww. (that one didnt have a question mark for obvious reasons.)
Oh and my definition of skankiness is the kind of iPhone worshipping, lap sitting, orange skinned, blue/green make up everywhere kind of girl who uses her "attractiveness" to get her own way.
ReplyDeleteThat's worrying isn't it...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever used the word skank........but if I was outed on my blog I think a few people would be very unhappy with me. I like the word...may start using it. I'll try it out here- 'silly bloody tart' is Skanky! LOL. ;0)
Interesting, I'll make sure to refrain from name calling in order to protect myself.
ReplyDeleteWow. I guess it gives you something to think about, doesn't it? I have never really thought about it!
ReplyDeleteI have wondered about crossing the lines in the past. When I used to blog and go totally ape shit (pardon my language) on someone I would not use their names. I didn't even give a fake name. I would just rant without any names at all...all pro-nouns. But those were people in my life back then who I allowed to get under my skin...not a celebrity or a model. So did she sue the tabloids and all other bloggers who called her skanky? What country was this in btw? If she didn't sue everyone who's called her skanky in a public medium then she can't sue that one. Why him, why now? She is being discriminatory in her suing and it could be easily thrown out of court in america.
ReplyDeleteI find the model suing a blogger as a skanky act. Very trashy to sue people for something so minor. You are wasting tax payer money on some childhood playground drama?! Get over it! She obviously had the "skanky" hit her as a truth and it hurt. Why else would someone over react to something so childish?! Unless they are just a media whore. I hope the government sues her for wasting our tax money...garnish her wages. People who sue for stupid crap are a real issue in parts of the US, especially in California. They sue over the tiniest thing. Like I worked one hour and they didn't give me a 15 minute break. No lie.
Ok, off the soap box. Sorry lovie for ranting.
Yea, it's bad when we have to start watching everything we say in comments for fear of being sued. And why have the anonymous option if the anonymity part of it doesn't work? Hmm.
ReplyDeleteOkay, the skank definition totally cracked me up! I worry about my School Board position sometimes. I can't ever vent about stuff going on at the school, or that would be super unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I worry if I'm setting a very good example about my faith when I let myself get too silly and wonder if I'm too inappropriate sometimes!
I love blogging though! And "skank" is one of my favorite words!
I have a hard time believing that Google could identify me. I mean, the police could through IP address/physical address search and such but Google? Nope. I don't put my real name online, and certainly never connected to my blog.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I also think that everyone in this country should be able to say whatever they want to say regardless of whether or not it offends someone. If people are offended, they don't have to listen/read it.
As far as skank, I don't use it but I am infamous in my group of friends for using really older slang to refer to skanks. I use "tart" "harpie" "floozie"-stuff like that. On rare occasions I will use "ho cake" but only if someone REALLY merits it. =)