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Super Injunctions: Is it Possible to Silence the Masses?
After details of the super secret celebrity injunctions found their way onto Twitter, many people as asking, just how can you stop an enforced gagging order from reaching the masses? The injunctions are in place to stop the media from revealing the details of which famous celebrities have been playing away from home. A famous actor and a Premiership footballer (among others!) have been granted these legal orders to protect their families are perhaps more importantly; ensure their reputations as devoted family men do not get tarnished. The speculation regarding the identity of these well known faces has been rife, with many finding their names dragged into the mix simply because they fit a certain profile.
One Twitter user who goes by the highly original name of @superinjunction released Tweets apparently naming and shaming those involved with the scandals. Although Twitter was quick to censor the tweets, this was not the first time that an anonymous web user has attempted to life the lift the lid on the injunctions. Wikipedia was infiltrated by hackers who amended the pages of those ‘protected’ by the injunctions, however yet again the cyber police were quick to take these down.
Although the author of the tweets may find themselves in hot water, Twitter has a legal advantage in the sense that it is not technically a publisher. Instead the site is classed as a piece of software therefore enabling it to escape from any legal liability. Any named journalist or every day Twitter user who reveals the names of the married celebrities caught up in the injunction storm could find themselves in contempt of court, possibly leading to a jail sentence.
Anonymous Tweeters are obviously a different kettle of fish, which is why so far the @superinjunction user has escaped any legal action, although whoever is behind the current spate of reveals is advised not to breathe easy just yet. In its privacy policy, the micro blogging site states that “We may disclose your information if we believe that it is reasonably necessary to comply with a law, regulation or legal request". Whether or not the identity of the Tweeter is revealed to the authorities, it is safe to say that this is not the last attempt to uncover the faces behind the legal barriers.
For more information on the legal technicalities surrounding the super injunctions, head to http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2011/may/09/injunctions-twitter-law