Revealing an Internet Messageboard User

Timber Loftis · 06-03-2003, 04:27 PM

Okay, guys, especially you mods. If there is an internet message board user out there defaming, libeling, or otherwise damaging a reputation or doing harm via the message board, what options are there to find out his/her identity and expose them?

For instance, if I want to root out the real ID of an IWF-er, can I hit Ziroc with a subpoena for the info??

What about more other options to investigate the identity?

Note: this post assumes we have someone using the anonymity shield to do harm.

If you think you have some tricks up your sleeve that are too powerful or crafty to post here, please PM me. If you are someone who can provide these services, I may have billable work for you.

Rokenn · 06-03-2003, 04:30 PM

You could just sic the Scientology people on them [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Epona · 06-03-2003, 04:35 PM

Oh shit!

Time to go on the run again....

Sorry Timber - can't help with your query, but I would imagine you would subpoena the ISP rather than Ziroc - they will have the customer details that I imagine Ziroc wouldn't be party to.

Larry_OHF · 06-03-2003, 04:41 PM

ROFL @ Epona!

I figured you would be the one to know, moreso than any of us how to do it, TL. And when you do, how much will it cost me to learn it from ya?

andrewas · 06-03-2003, 04:59 PM

All Ziroc would know about the ID of a user would be his IP & email - at least for most users.

But given the IP, you can in theory get the ISP to release details of the user. Most places you would need some good reason to do it though. And of course you run the risk of having the IP for a public computer, which does you no good at all.

Night Stalker · 06-03-2003, 05:00 PM

The legal (open debate) and ethical thing would be to try to get the forum owner to co-operate. Other methods involve hacking .... and that's less than ethical and possibly out right illegal.

The board owner may not have RL ID info, just an IP and an email address. But with these pieces of info, you can track down an ISP and Email provider (may be the same). Then you can go to the ISP.

Stormymystic · 06-03-2003, 05:05 PM

was I found out again??? dang no one bought the sweet and innocent personality?

Mouse · 06-03-2003, 05:17 PM

I imagine that the way forward is to get a court order forcing the ISP to reveal details of that particular subscriber, including his personal information. You may also encounter difficulties in proving that the subscriber was the person who actually committed the tort. You will have to have pretty good prima facia evidence as I imagine this will be a civil case. Not sure how that will sit with US constitutional rights to free speach though as all I have been exposed to is the largely common law based Scots Law.

The phrase "can of worms" comes to mind though I do vaguely remember a recent case where an ISP was held liable for not stopping the libellous activities of a poster after fair warning.......

Here is a starting point.

[ 06-03-2003, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Mouse ]

Luvian · 06-03-2003, 06:07 PM

A forum owner can get the ip and email adress of the person, and with that, you can look for the person's real name, either by asking one of those company or by looking at that email company's public user profiles, if there is any.

Once, you get the name, it's easy to track down someone. By going to msn.ca, and doing as search on my name, someone could find my home adress, phone number, zip code and even a map to my house. I know, I just looked at it.

The net is not really anonymous, with an ip and a name, you can track down almost anybody. There are even programs you can use to track down the location of an ip yourself.

wellard · 06-03-2003, 06:19 PM

Bah! humbug

No one will see through my disguise [img]graemlins/ylusy.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/matrix.gif[/img]

06-03-2003, 04:27 PM	#1
Timber Loftis 40th Level Warrior Join Date: July 11, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 11,916	Okay, guys, especially you mods. If there is an internet message board user out there defaming, libeling, or otherwise damaging a reputation or doing harm via the message board, what options are there to find out his/her identity and expose them? For instance, if I want to root out the real ID of an IWF-er, can I hit Ziroc with a subpoena for the info?? What about more other options to investigate the identity? Note: this post assumes we have someone using the anonymity shield to do harm. If you think you have some tricks up your sleeve that are too powerful or crafty to post here, please PM me. If you are someone who can provide these services, I may have billable work for you. __________________

06-03-2003, 04:30 PM	#2
Rokenn Galvatron Join Date: January 22, 2002 Location: california wine country Age: 60 Posts: 2,193	You could just sic the Scientology people on them [img]tongue.gif[/img] __________________ “This is an impressive crowd, the haves and the have mores. <br />Some people call you the elite. <br />I call you my base.”<br />~ George W. Bush (2000)

06-03-2003, 04:35 PM	#3
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 53 Posts: 5,164	Oh shit! Time to go on the run again.... Sorry Timber - can't help with your query, but I would imagine you would subpoena the ISP rather than Ziroc - they will have the customer details that I imagine Ziroc wouldn't be party to. __________________ [img]\"http://www.wizardrealm.com/images/epona.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

06-03-2003, 04:41 PM	#4
Larry_OHF Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Midlands, South Carolina Age: 48 Posts: 14,759	ROFL @ Epona! I figured you would be the one to know, moreso than any of us how to do it, TL. And when you do, how much will it cost me to learn it from ya? __________________

06-03-2003, 04:59 PM	#5
andrewas Harper Join Date: October 2, 2001 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Age: 42 Posts: 4,774	All Ziroc would know about the ID of a user would be his IP & email - at least for most users. But given the IP, you can in theory get the ISP to release details of the user. Most places you would need some good reason to do it though. And of course you run the risk of having the IP for a public computer, which does you no good at all. __________________ [img]\"http://www.sighost.us/members/Zvijer/andrewas.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

06-03-2003, 05:00 PM	#6
Night Stalker Lord Ao Join Date: June 24, 2002 Location: Nevernever Land Age: 49 Posts: 2,002	The legal (open debate) and ethical thing would be to try to get the forum owner to co-operate. Other methods involve hacking .... and that's less than ethical and possibly out right illegal. The board owner may not have RL ID info, just an IP and an email address. But with these pieces of info, you can track down an ISP and Email provider (may be the same). Then you can go to the ISP. __________________ [url]\"http://www.duryea.org/pinky/gurkin.wav\" target=\"_blank\">AYPWIP?</a> .... <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[1ponder]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/1ponder.gif\" /> <br />\"I think so Brain, but isn\'t a cucumber that small called a gherkin?\"<br /><br />Shut UP! Pinky!

06-03-2003, 05:05 PM	#7
Stormymystic Knight of the Rose Join Date: April 8, 2003 Location: Arkansas Age: 48 Posts: 4,442	was I found out again??? dang no one bought the sweet and innocent personality? __________________ [url]\"http://stormymystic.deviantart.com/gallery/\" target=\"_blank\"> [img]\"http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/3968/stormyvx6.jpg\" alt=\" - \" /></a>

06-03-2003, 05:17 PM	#8
Mouse Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Scotland Posts: 2,788	I imagine that the way forward is to get a court order forcing the ISP to reveal details of that particular subscriber, including his personal information. You may also encounter difficulties in proving that the subscriber was the person who actually committed the tort. You will have to have pretty good prima facia evidence as I imagine this will be a civil case. Not sure how that will sit with US constitutional rights to free speach though as all I have been exposed to is the largely common law based Scots Law. The phrase "can of worms" comes to mind though I do vaguely remember a recent case where an ISP was held liable for not stopping the libellous activities of a poster after fair warning....... Here is a starting point. [ 06-03-2003, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Mouse ] __________________ Regards Mouse (Occasional crooner and all round friendly Scottish rodent)

06-03-2003, 06:07 PM	#9
Luvian Ironworks Moderator Join Date: June 27, 2001 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Age: 43 Posts: 6,763	A forum owner can get the ip and email adress of the person, and with that, you can look for the person's real name, either by asking one of those company or by looking at that email company's public user profiles, if there is any. Once, you get the name, it's easy to track down someone. By going to msn.ca, and doing as search on my name, someone could find my home adress, phone number, zip code and even a map to my house. I know, I just looked at it. The net is not really anonymous, with an ip and a name, you can track down almost anybody. There are even programs you can use to track down the location of an ip yourself. __________________ Once upon a time in Canada...

06-03-2003, 06:19 PM	#10
wellard Dracolisk Join Date: November 1, 2002 Location: Australia ..... G\'day! Posts: 6,123	Bah! humbug No one will see through my disguise [img]graemlins/ylusy.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/matrix.gif[/img]

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