DCI Gene Hunt

Just in case I'm also hosting them at www.ifeckinfellforthat.com

Username: howfoolish
password: doIfeelnow

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Try this link: www.thatswhatyougetforbeingnosey.com

Username: dumbass
Password: plonker

ex-webby

LOL @ DCI

Sorry!

ex-webby

Right.. I have an idea that might just work.

and any LEGAL advice on this would be great.

1) I list publicly everyone who is mentioned
2) publicly give them the chance to accept that its released.
3) if they accept, then they get to nominate a charity
4) I publicly say who has accepted and who hasn't
5) All proceeds from the sale will be kept by me initially as a 'being sued fund'
6) After a period (ideally equal to any legal period required) ALL of the proceeds will be given to charities nominated by those who selected them in number 3) above.

It may be that step 5) is not necessary if everyone gives their permission.

My thoughts are, people will be able to actively see who hides, and who is big enough to take it on the chin and allow the charities to benefit

-

How's that for outside-the-box thinking?

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

Great idea

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Who let you out?

alistair

You may have to do more than just publicly list - you'd need to actually contact everyone & get explicit approval.

PaulC72

IMHO if these people sign a legal document in front of witnessess they should have no comeback anyway.

ex-webby

sorry alistair...

what I meant was...

I'll publicly list (For the benefit of everyone else).. and then contact them directly.

The point is.. they will know everyone will be able to see who is too much of a scaredy cat to let it be released

ex-webby

Paul.. you are probably right...

my question is whether I can legally do what I'm suggesting, or whether its some kind of blackmail, or whatever.

At the end of the day, the only people I'm concerned about are those who have basically done something wrong.

I'm not out to stitch anyone up.. I'm just really excited about the chance to finally let some cats out their bags!

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

It wasn't me

I think I never likened anyone to anyone, maybe.

Simon, send it to me. I'll proof read it for you, at no cost to yourself; and will pass it for publication in Hebrew only.

Dream Weaver

Can you not set up some sort of club, with say a £10 or £20 joining fee for members.

The club members then receive their "free book" as they join. Maybe there is some law that states any free publicity material is less of a problem.

ex-webby

DW

I wondered that also, about it being free. But I don't think it makes a difference unfortunately.

Devildog

Simon,

If you get a release signed by everyone concerned, then you should be fine.

Of course, if what you intend to publish is entirely factual, and you have evidence to that effect, legally obtained (and of course your obligations under the DPA and associated legislation are relevant here) then the issue of lible/defamation does not exist.

Which begs the question - if its all entirely factual, and you comply with the DPA requirements as regards the use of information that has only become available to you in your capacity as webmaster of this site, then the only problem is whether or not you think its worth the risk.

Personally, I'd love to see it. Be interesting to see of there were any elements in the book where I could compare your version of events with the
truth

Anyway, I digress and to an extent jest.

You may still be able to do something which is of interest but where the names/events etc are written in such a way so as not to create any association with the characters concerned?

ex-webby

DD

Not quite that simple unfortunately. It costs time and money to defend something, whether you win or not. Also, some circumstances are not appropriate as simply 'having proof'.. they are circumstances.. ie circumstantial.

I thought long and hard about changing the names, and events enough so they are no longer able to be related to the individuals, but it would then become a work of fiction, and would lose all interest for me to write it, as well as for many people to read it.

Devildog

Indeed it does, as we discussed previously, hence my "whether you think its worth the risk" comment.

Sorry if that was not clear.

I appreciate that. If the only "evidence" you have is "circumstantial" then of course the risk is much greater as you have no irrefutable proof of fact. A good lawyer acting for an aggrieved party will likely rip you a new arsehole (metaphorically speaking) for publishing anything of that nature, unless it is so heavily caveated as to be of inconsequential value to the works.

Unfortunately, it looks like the same legislation which Scoobynet the BBS is compelled to adhere to is frustrating your endeavours to write a book about it all.

Ironic really..

Dracoro

I think the getting permission angle will be pointless.

People involved in the juicy stories (i.e. the ones we all want to read) will probably not agree leaving a book with all the uninteresting stories.

Can't you publish is as a "novel" where all characters are "fictional" etc.?

Or put it on a pdf which get's "distributed" via pms/emails etc. Sure you won't make money out of this but I get the impression it's money you are after for this?!

ex-webby

Not really ironic. That has been my biggest frustration for 10 years. Just because I'm the one that has to enforce the rules, doesn't mean I agree with them!

Anyway.. so what you're saying overall is. Its a risk, unless there is some other legal function I can use to protect myself. So.. all rewind back to post 1 - LOL, thanks for your help

-

Dracoro

The reason for the permission thing is this. Basically to guilt the parties into being man enough to have their stories told, so that charities can benefit. The other option is that they look like selfish sods in front of everyone for not letting the charities benefit, in order to simply save a bit of face, etc.

Publishing as a novel and saying its all fictional doesn't SEEM to wash. I really can't see why to be honest. I set out to write it like that, and renamed everyone, etc.. but the problem is, if it can be deduced who you are talking about, and it can be claimed - realistically - that people's reputation is damaged, regardless of whether its true, I think I can still be sued.

I assume you missed a "not" out of that sentence?

Do I want money from it? Not really.. at best it would only make a few hundred quid. But I'd also rather not just give it away - out of personal pride. So my favourite solution would be to sell it, and give the money to charity, less and legal expenses.

Devildog

LOL, yeah .

Sue Fordefamation

FPMSL @ this thread

Simon, I think the key thing here is that any story you come up with will be YOUR version of events which I think we both know is often more to do with your ego than what really happened. Personally if it was me being slandered by your stories I would pursue it to the full extent of the law.

As for blackmailing/bullying people into agreeing to let you abuse your position on here by humiliating them publically well that's pretty low, even for you. Not to mention illegal.

mart360

Hell Simon, lets cut to the chase,

there are either 5 or 6 main players, and the rest are bit parts

given that SN has been going since before i joined, and i,m a lowly poster,

compared to the banned or the bored, id say i was either a bit part, or not

on the radar at all.

Cant see you saying anything thats going to affect me, that i dont allready

know ...Short, fat, to**er, who thinks all his posts are valid

or arrogant bald bloke with no mates


right thats over and done with, when do i get my free copy

Mart

ex-webby

LOL @ people registering fake accounts to post really hard comments, too scared to post, even under their FAKE name, let alone their real names

ex-webby

LOL @ mart

Sonic'

How much of it isn't contained within the Scoobynet BBS pages (via search for example)

Obviously there will have been deleted posts and pm's etc which arent public but the rest is (if the majority of it is from the BBS) everything I have said or done regarding SN has been public so I would welcome the read

davyboy

Should I be worried

Dracoro

I'm sure it wouldn't be illegal to tell us all who really made that post!

go on, you know you can and I bet he/she is one that would be mentioned in the book too!!!

ex-webby

LOL.. the person who did post thinks they're really clever in the way they believe they've disguised who they are

And, are such a speck in the history of scoobynet, but at the same time will think they're a leading role. Talk about delusions of grandure.

Its all a bit pathetic, and cracks me up that this person is the first person in this thread to get their knickers in a twist about it - and in such a cowardly way.

Never mind. And I'm sure you could all work out who it is without too much trouble if you read between the lines

-

Sonic

The really juicey stuff isn't public knowledge unfortunately - but I guess that's half of what makes it juicey.

-

There will be a solution to this. I just need to work out the best one.

-

By the way, the book isn't all nastiness and negativity. There are lots of really heart warming stories, personal journey's of discovery, discussions of various strategies over the years, and just a good old behind-the-scenes tour of running scoobynet.

But it wouldn't be the same without the goss!

StickyMicky

to be honest, i doubt you will get many people to sign whatever you send them, unless its proper trivial little things (same kind of things nobody even wants to read about)

the years of you messing with threads, and stopping people from speaking about issues will IMO come back to haunt you, the people who had issues will probably be the people in this very "book", silenced by the great dictator and i reckon they will take great delight in stopping from making a quick buck no matter where the cash is apparently going to end up

Devildog

The person you think it is has just MSN'd me after receiving some paranoid rant from you

First contact in months, by the way.

Somewhere along the line your technology or intelligence has let you down Simon.

The bigger question should be that if you've got this wrong, what else have you got wrong about others? If your "facts" are letting you down, then the risk has just increased exponentially.

Devildog

Which does actually make them really clever, as whoever it is has disguised who they are

ps - I know you don't like me Simon, but jeesh, move on - its not healthy mate.