Defamatory posts on PPRuNe

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/eircom-must-disclose-ids-of-bloggers-accused-of-making-highly-defamatory-posts-29066737.html

IT IS a ruling that will strike fear into unwary bloggers. Ryanair has secured a High Court order compelling Eircom to disclose the identities of two anonymous contributors to a pilot's website, who the airline accuses of making "highly defamatory" posts.
The comments were posted on the website PPRuNe – or the Professional Pilots Rumour Network – by two anonymous parties using the pseudonyms ASFKAP and 'Built4Speed', a court was told.
Investigations undertaken on the airline's behalf concluded that their IP addresses – the individual number assigned to each device that uses the internet – came from the Eircom pool of subscribers.
The airline claims that material posted by the contributors is false and impinges on its safety record. Ryanair intends to sue the two parties.
The orders were granted yesterday by Mr Justice Paul Gilligan.
Under the terms of the orders obtained in the High Court, Eircom must disclose to Ryanair all information, excluding emails, which will help identify the parties assigned the IP addresses where the allegedly defamatory posts came from.
In an affidavit to the court, Ryanair's director of legal and regulatory affairs and company secretary Juliusz Komorek said a number of posts had caused the airline serious concern.
Mr Komorek said that while Ryanair has no objection to honest and objective comment it has been left with "no option other to take action concerning these false and defamatory statements".

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/ian-odoherty/thanks-michael-for-taking-the-fight-to-those-vicious-online-bullies-29070685.html

Extracts :

Well, O'Leary has just done me a big favour. And he's just done you a big favour.
In fact, he has done us all a bloody great favour.
This week, Ryanair secured a ruling from the High Court which forces Eircom to disclose the identities of two anonymous bloggers who had posted "highly defamatory" posts on 'PPRuNE' – the Professional Pilots Rumour Network – and this could really set the ball rolling for some much needed regulation of what people post online and, even more crucially, the manner in which they post.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a hack and the idea of curtailing freedom of speech is obviously something I would be opposed to with every fibre of my being. After all, when they start cracking down on unpopular opinions, then I'm out of a job.
But I think I can speak for most of us when I say that I am sick and tired of anonymous web bullies making people's lives a misery.
Indeed, in many ways having an unbreakable cloak of Internet anonymity is as much a curse as a liberty.

I know of one situation where someone was receiving some pretty vile emails and when investigated, it turned out the person responsible was only a young kid who was both freaked and ashamed when he was exposed as the person responsible for sending the offensive messages.
Would the individual have done this if they were required to put their name to them?
I seriously doubt it.

I always find it interesting that the majority of abusive letters and emails are anonymous while the complimentary ones are signed.
It's about being able to tell lies about someone with impunity.

And all of these, of course, from anonymous cowards who would never dare say that to someone's face.

You may like this column, you may not.
But at least my name is on it and I am held accountable for my views, as are the likes Kevin Myers, Eamon Dunphy or David Quinn – frequent victims of vile online abuse who, unlike their persecutors, at least have the balls to put their name to what they write.
So thank you, Michael.

iodoherty@independent.ie

Ryanair has secured another apology from a person who made an anonymous posting on a website about the airline.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/transport-and-tourism/website-writer-apologises-to-ryanair-1.1589058

Extracts :

Earlier this year Ryanair secured an order from the High Court compelling Eircom to disclose information to the airline that would assist it in identifying ASFKAP who, it said, had made highly defamatory comments about it.

Ryanair then identified Mr W. and instigated proceedings in the High Court. Mr W. is understood to live in Ireland but is not thought to be a Ryanair pilot. He was represented in the High Court proceedings by Rennick solicitors, of Dunboyne, Co Meath.

The court was told earlier this year that ASFKAP made a posting on Pprune, (the so-called rumour network for professional pilots) saying: “Can we not have a separate forum for Ryanair narrow escapes, near misses, airworthiness incidents and bullying and harassment issues?”

In his apology Mr W. said he had made a number of claims about Ryanair and the safety of its flights and operations which he now accepted were false. “I recognise and accept that I had no basis in fact for making such comments and I unreservedly revoke these false statements,” he said.

A spokesman for Ryanair said it was satisfied the matter had now been resolved. A number of cases against other parties are pending in the High Court.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/transport-and-tourism/ryanair-pilot-apologises-and-resigns-1.1634974

Another Ryanair pilot has posted an apology on an online forum after the airline initiated High Court proceedings against him in relation to an earlier, anonymous posting.
Dan Pepper, who identified himself when making the apology, had made earlier postings on the airline industry discussion website pprune.org using the username Vexed. A pilot with Ryanair since 2005 and a captain since 2009, Mr Pepper is understood to have resigned from the airline in the wake of the apology.

His apology on PPRuNE :

I have been a serving Ryanair pilot since 2005 and a Captain since 2009. In a post on the PPRuNe website, under the pseudonym “Vexed”, I have made a number of claims about Ryanair and the safety of its flights and operations, which I now accept were false. I recognise and accept that I had no basis in fact for making such comments and I unreservedly revoke these false statements.
I have considered and wholeheartedly agree with both the joint statement made by the Irish Aviation Authority (“IAA”) and the Irish Department of Transport on 18 September 2012 that Ryanair safety is “on a par with the safest airlines in Europe”, as well as the IAA’s statement on 15 August 2013 that Ryanair fuel policy complies with European Regulations. I recognise that Ryanair has operated for over 29 years with an industry leading safety record and in full compliance with Boeing, FAA, European and Irish Regulations.
I unreservedly apologise to Ryanair for the false statements made and any damage that they may have caused. I have made a donation to charity in recognition of the seriousness of my false claims and have undertaken to Ryanair that they will not be repeated under the pseudonym “Vexed” or any other pseudonym.
I also wish to apologise sincerely and unreservedly to any Ryanair passengers who may have been upset or concerned by my untrue and inaccurate statements.
Dan Pepper