One Ms. Cecilia Barnes, 48, levied a lawsuit against Internet giant Yahoo. She charges they let nude photos of her taken by an ex boyfriend linger too long in their files. The gentlemen in question perpetrated fraud by creating a false account using her information and posting photos of her in the buff that he took when they were together.
The decidedly nave women wants $3 million in her suit. The false account included a number of lewd references and invitations and the matter came to a head when a several amorous individuals showed up at her work place to take her up on offers mentioned in said account.
She asked Yahoo to remove the damaging files on a number of occasions but Yahoo failed to comply. After talking to the Yahoo communications department, she elected to file suit since they failed to honor a promise to remove the material made during that conversation.
This whole situation points out one of the more serious problems with security on the Internet. In order to keep business flowing, Yahoo, MSN, Google and others make it simple and easy to create accounts on through their services. The problem is it allows situations like this to occur and many people have multiple accounts through the various free services online. One can create false email accounts, fake Ids and nicknames and they need not have anything to do with the individual in question. Every aspect of these accounts can be fabricated.
While hearts go out to the woman in question, the federal government has laws protecting these companies from third party issues. Also though, in this day and age after problems like Pam and Tommy, Tanya Harding, Paris Hilton and even Dr. Laura Schlessinger, one must expect the possibility of nude photos taken in the heat of spontaneous and passionate moment to make it online. She should be thankful more explicit materials didn’t show up.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
