Thursday, December 3, 2009

Goodbye Subrosa

Seems a bad time to be a Scottish blogger, first Wardog, then AMW and now Subrosa.

She was (and still is no doubt) a great supporter of Scottish nationalism, as she put it in her own words.
"To help promote interest in independence for Scotland and to keep the Westminster government's misuse of our armed forces in the public domain."

Her reasons though were forced upon her,
"My identity has been exposed. Not only do the person(s) know my name they also know my full address .. why would any person .. go to the trouble of finding out my name and address for any other reason than malicious intent?

"[the person] is well known to be a great supporter of certain Scottish unionist bloggers or ex-bloggers"
Her blog is now private at least until legal moves have been completed. This isn't paranoia on her part either, one of the joys of blogging is the privacy to say what you think to a wider audience anonymously, even if it's something they don't want to hear and makes them angry.
Unfortunately there are some who take anger far too far and begin what looks awfully like stalking and that is every anonymous bloggers fear. Not to be named so much, but to be approached, targetted and your family endangered by someone dedicated enough to track you down. There may be nothing to fear, it may just be scare tactics, but by God it works and by God it would frighten me, though not for myself, but for those close to me who might be affected.

Whoever did this is a disgusting excuse for a human being, they may not have liked what Subrosa had to say, may have been seriously offended, however it wasn't against the law or you'd have legal redress, but you don't track down someone's name and address because of words, not now, not ever.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
The Friends of Voltaire (1906), written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall under the pseudonym S[tephen] G. Tallentyre.

7 annotations:

Petr said...

WTF! Please no! There's been rather too much of this sort of nonsense recently.
Subrosa - I've enjoyed your stuff. I hope you find a way to continue.

Trident said...

Mr W has a lot to answer for. Quiet Man, you are absolutely correct there are few spaces for us to express our views, and now we have self appointed enforcers amongst us, it would appear.

Anonymous said...

It's a form of terrorism. Whoever it is who is doing this, quite simply, is a cyberterrorist. What an utter scumbag ...

Anonymous said...

It's not terrorism. Get a f***ing grip. Terrorism kills innocent people, you ridiculous twit.

Subrosa was outed because she's getting sued. Simple. As you say, there is legal redress, and now someone is taking it.

Mark MacLAchlan was sacked because he defamed many people while working for a minister.

Conan the Librarian™ said...

Terrorism is making people scared, scared of losing their jobs or of being sued.
The (presumably) same person is posting on my blog and Scunnerts.

JuliaM said...

"As you say, there is legal redress, and now someone is taking it."

Lawsuits (particularly ill-thought out ones) have a habit of backfiring.

James Higham said...

"Unfortunately there are some who take anger far too far and begin what looks awfully like stalking and that is every anonymous bloggers fear."

Yes, I have my stalker - all self-respecting bloggers should keep one but he has nothing to "out" and not a leg to stand on. Fear of stalkers mustn't let us become timid because in open boldness is safety.