help an internet forum is ruining my business!

[Spiceskull]

I just need to find an address - could i pm someone the website details?

PM me...I will give it a shot.

[MrShed]

And PM me and I will have a look too.

[BloominHeck]

And PM me and I will have a look too.

 

What you mean is a WHOIS search.

 

For .co.uk names you can go to Nominet UK (Can't post a link... www . nic . uk) and enter the address and then search for the registrant. (remove spaces from that address first)

[MrShed]

Already done with OP via PM

 

Some people REALLY should hide their details on NS records!!!!

[rolfey1]

its a .uk.com address. I now have the ex Technical Director's name thanks to the help of MrShed. Seems he belongs to loads of different forums, his mame is everywhere when you google it.

 

i am wondering if I should just join one of the forums & ask him outright for the companies address?

[BloominHeck]

Already done with OP via PM

 

Some people REALLY should hide their details on NS records!!!!

 

With a co.uk you can if you are a non-trading individual.

 

However with the others you cannot. And if you provide false information you leave yourself open to having your domain terminated.

[rolfey1]

MrShed

 

you need to empty your mailbox, I have a couple fo messages waiting for you.

[rolfey1]

Just to update everyone:

 

It seems the guy that owns the site is just doing it for kicks as I can't see where the revenue is comming from. Also he is a member of many forums & places his opinions & reviews about just about every subject. Probably doesn't have time to moderate his own forum (which incedently is massive - covers 80 towns). Stirring gossip about if you ask me. As I said in the begining of the thread you can find out such things as who is the local bike, where to get drugs etc

 

I think he needs some legal action. What does everyone else think?

[MrShed]

Sorry mate - inbox cleared any second now.

[MrShed]

I would suggest that you get his home address first of all - I think I supplied this(cannot remember) but in any event a couple of quid search at companies house under the company name I sent you will reveal a lot....

 

Then employ a solicitor just to draft a letter to him, and get it sent. Hopefully should force his hand.

 

Alternatively, you may wish to look at pursuing the ISP or the webhost.

[slick132]

I'd contact the individual as suggested complaining about what you consider to be wrong.

 

Tell him if this isn't resolved in 7 days, you'll contact his ISP and webhost who are jointly responsible and liable.

[BloominHeck]

Alternatively, you may wish to look at pursuing the ISP or the webhost.

 

You might also want to try the uk.com registrar - maybe you can get his domain suspended for it.

[callumsgran]

Glad to see things are moving on for you rolfey, go get him!!!

 

What a nasty man, he shouldn't be allowed to get away with it

[JonCris]

A site that is promoting a criminal activity such as drugs or prostitution is acting illegally. I should report them to the police

 

Have good look & see if there are any threads promoting Jihad or vice versa that'll get the local plod interested

Edited September 30, 2008 by JonCris

[rolfey1]

I think I will start a thread on the forum titled Site Owner Exposed by very anonymous

 

For all of you who have had your names dragged through the mud on this site and for all those businesses that have suffered through anonymous so called restaurant / pub 'critics' I have discovered who owns this site:

 

It's a techno geek by the name of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx who is clearly too busy to bother moderating the huge website he has set up, as you can tell by his business name 'Another Pointless xxxxxxxx'

Feel free to post your comments!

 

 

What do you think? give him a taste of his own medicine? I can't get into any trouble can I?

[MrShed]

You need to be careful not to say anything specific so not libellous...but generally yes lol

[Spiceskull]

Glad you are halfway there - only picking up my PMs now.

 

My own advice is this: decide what you want to achieve - removal of the offending posts, an apology, and an undertaking that these postings will not be repeated, or, failing that, then if they are repeated they will be stringently moderated and dealt with.

 

The other issue is the one with your barmaid (?) and this is something that only she can decide.

 

Once your objectives have been decided, follow through a plan of action to achieve them. Best advice so far is that you send him a personal solicitors letter, giving him a reasonable time to action your request, and then laying out your next steps should he fail to comply. These would likely be the hosting and ISP.

 

As a final resort there must be things that can be reported to the police...

 

What you really need to remember is that you have a business, it is assumed you wish to stay in business, and therefore you need to act reasonably. Posting random comments about the owner, on his own site, making idle threats...all of these are likely to make the situation worse, and if he is well funded, he may just set up other forums to repeat the actions out of spite.

[BloominHeck]

You do not even need to be well funded nowadays - there are plenty of free webhosts that provide huge amounts of stuff for small adverts (He might even be on one), and £2.99 for a domain (co.uk) / £24.99 for a uk.com domain (What a ripoff )

 

Glad you are going well now Rolfey

 

Glad you are halfway there - only picking up my PMs now.

 

My own advice is this: decide what you want to achieve - removal of the offending posts, an apology, and an undertaking that these postings will not be repeated, or, failing that, then if they are repeated they will be stringently moderated and dealt with.

 

The other issue is the one with your barmaid (?) and this is something that only she can decide.

 

Once your objectives have been decided, follow through a plan of action to achieve them. Best advice so far is that you send him a personal solicitors letter, giving him a reasonable time to action your request, and then laying out your next steps should he fail to comply. These would likely be the hosting and ISP.

 

As a final resort there must be things that can be reported to the police...

 

What you really need to remember is that you have a business, it is assumed you wish to stay in business, and therefore you need to act reasonably. Posting random comments about the owner, on his own site, making idle threats...all of these are likely to make the situation worse, and if he is well funded, he may just set up other forums to repeat the actions out of spite.

[slick132]

Rolfey,

 

I think you should keep the moral highground.

 

As Spiceskull says, decide what you want to achieve and how best you can achieve it.

 

Don't stoop to the level of those who have been making the defamatory remarks in the first place.

 

Did you get time to read the Judgement I posted earlier - Godfrey v. Demon Internet Limited [1999] EWHC QB 244 (26th March, 1999).

 

You could quote the case and point out to the owner/administartor that he, and others, have legal responsibility for the content of any websites run by him. Accordingly, he should take urgent steps to see the site is adequately Moderated.

[bazak1]

i agree that you dont really want ( or need ) to stoop to the same level as those causing the grief, because that makes you no better than them. Adopt the correct way of handling the situation and when its over you walk away with your head held high.

[seftonview]

There are just a couple of things I should like to add to this:-

 

1. Defamation actions are notoriously expensive, and it's something you'd be well advised to instruct solicitors for sooner rather than later (you have one year less one day from the date the posts were made to bring action in the Court). A number of solicitors specialising in 'reputation management' will offer no win no fee for defamation actions.

 

There is a specific protocol to follow for defamation, and any claim will more likely than not need to be issued in the High Court.

 

The longer you leave things without acting, a judge/jury may consider you have accepted the comments; so get moving on this.

 

2. I note you've said there are posts that specifically impune the morals and virtues of one of your barmaids. This kind of statement would be considered libellous 'per se', which means that she does not need to demonstrate damage, distress, or loss because of the statements to be awarded compensation.

 

HTH