Shield law protects commenters · 12 December 08
A Clackamas County judge has ruled that anonymous comments on news media web sites are protected by Oregon’s shield law. The law is intended to protect journalists’ ability to shield confidential sources but it also extends to anyone “employed by or engaged in any medium of communication to the public.” Reaction to the ruling has mixed consequences, according to this story by the Oregonian. A blog post on the Mercury web site also provides background on the related court case.
Lee van der Voo