Gawker.com – Term Paper

The internet, extensive use of social media and blogging has created complicated moral issues and dilemmas in the current world. The increasing use of technology and social networks has generated various challenges to the legal system (Mason, 2015).

Even though the internet has expanded the potential for persons to exercise their freedom of expression, the issue of free speech and controlling of content in cyberspace has remained a major issue (Berry, 2013).  Some expressions such as pornography and hate speech are offensive. Due to this freedom and lack of proper cyberspace controls, Gawker. Com found itself in court for allegedly posting to the internet a one minute and forty seconds of a secretly recorded video and audio footage depicting Mr. Bollea having sex with Clem in private bedroom.

After the legal battle, Gawker.com was forced to close down after a $140 million lawsuit that wad filed by the plaintiff. The company deserved what it got as such activities are completely private and it constituted a shameful and outrageous invasions of Bolleas right of privacy and this constitutes a criminal violation. There should be appropriate scope for free expressions of individuals and organization due to ethical and public policy problems in the cyberspace (Spinello, 2010). 

Notably, there is danger in revenge lawsuits but it all depends on the ground that an individual seeking to revenge has. In this case, Peter the billionaire saw a loophole revenge against the company as not all revenge can be successful. Gawker.com was at this particular time was on the receiving end and he decided to legally revenge by financing the entire case. I think this case should act as a lesson to other sites that posts similar content in order to gain more fame. Individuals privacy is protected by the law and releasing such a video since you have large followers who will access it will be against the law. It is the highest time that proper cyberspace regulations should be formulated and implemented. However, policy makers should make sure that freedom of expression is not interfered with.

References

Berry, D. (2013). Ethics and media culture: Practices and representations. CRC Press.

Mason, D. (2015). Computer Network Security and Cyber Ethics. Online Information

Review. 

Spinello, R. (2010). Cyberethics: Morality and law in cyberspace. Jones & Bartlett Learning.