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Software Jack Thompson Sues Facebook
Stephen Kamizuru (Blog) - October 5, 2009 9:12 AM
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Thompson sues Facebook over threatening posts in the "I hate Jack Thompson" Facebook group

Jack Thompson, the disbarred crusader against violent video games, has sued Facebook, alleging site users posted violent threats against him. In a Facebook group called "I Hate Jack Thompson", one post in particular was singled out and mentioned in the lawsuit. The posting stated, “Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600.”

According to the lawsuit, Thompson suffered emotional distress because of the postings and that the site content was not properly supervised. He is seeking $120 million in damages. Requests to remove the postings were faxed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but received no response according to the Bloomberg article.

Facebook responded by email to the lawsuit stating it was, "Without merit" and that they would "fight it vigorously"

Pary Aftab, a lawyer and the executive director of Wired Safety, stated, “I think there is no liability because of what somebody does on their Web site.”

As of this writing, the "I Hate Jack Thompson" group has 1,436 members and ironically Thompson's lawsuit is helping to promote the group as word of the lawsuit spreads.

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I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By smackababy on 10/5/2009 9:30:13 AM , Rating: 5
quote:
“Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600.”
Why risk breaking a classic? Go with the 5200, that thing was junk anyway.




RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 9:57:16 AM , Rating: 5
Either will be classics and sell for quite a bit on Ebay if working.

I would just strangle him with a simple $10 ATX power cable. Oooops! Now DailyTech will get sued!


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By themaster08 on 10/5/2009 10:00:56 AM , Rating: 2
It would be worth even more knowing that it's been used to deface that idiot!

Why even use the ATX cable? There's a perfectly good cable on the underneath of the 5200 to strangle him whilst simultaneously clobbering him across the face.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 10:03:50 AM , Rating: 5
Better yet! Just stone him to death with beige CRT monitors! Those things are worthless.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 10:05:20 AM , Rating: 1
Note to any police: My comments are merely sarcasm and in no way meant as a legitimate threat to Mr Thompson.


By Hyperion1400 on 10/5/2009 2:03:57 PM , Rating: 3
Speak for yourself man! I personally would love to see him get smacked with an original Xbox; it's much heavier and sturdier than a 2600!


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By tastyratz on 10/5/2009 12:40:22 PM , Rating: 5
With a crowd like this I sense a dailytech lynching for the good ol jacky boy...
Only after we giggle like school girls at his face once hes been fed multiple copies of grand theft auto... violently... preferably by hookers who arrived in a stolen car.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By dayanth on 10/5/2009 12:44:05 PM , Rating: 5
Nah.. Those would be too heavy to toss at him. I think we should throw copies of all the pages he put into his anti-game violence lawsuits at him so he'll have to suffer an endless amount of paper cuts. That's when you turn on the lemon juice super-soakers and only give him a salty towel to cry into.

I think the most Jack will probably get from a lawsuit like this is that if anything gets out of hand offensive, like death threats or publishing private information about him, that the offenders will get their accounts suspended or banned. To sue Facebook itself for that much money is just silly.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By MarkHark on 10/5/2009 12:49:22 PM , Rating: 4
Hey!!! I have a perfectly good beige (actually silver) Flatron F700P, and I still love it! In fact, I'm typing this on it right now, and I'm a bit offended that someone might want to call it "worthless", or break it on a useless piece of s**t :)


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 12:59:11 PM , Rating: 2
Worthless being zero monetary value not that it has no use. There is a difference. I wouldn't give you $1 for that CRT monitor.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By mindless1 on 10/5/2009 2:10:57 PM , Rating: 3
These days that's negative monetary value, you still have to dispose of it and some regions won't pick it up at the curb with trash anymore, you are left driving it somewhere.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By mindless1 on 10/5/2009 2:25:43 PM , Rating: 2
too quick a result


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By erple2 on 10/9/2009 5:46:09 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Either will be classics and sell for quite a bit on Ebay if working.


Eff that. I'd pay 200 bucks for the actual 2600 or 5200 that someone smacked him across the face with (with documented proof, of course).


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By descendency on 10/5/2009 11:11:59 AM , Rating: 5
According to him, it's because you play violent video games that you want to hurt him.

I think it's because he's a pr*ck.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By gstrickler on 10/6/2009 1:18:49 PM , Rating: 2
I don't play violent video games. It's his ridiculous lawsuits that make me want to hurt him. I guess that means that Jack Thompson's lawsuits make people violent, we should ban Jack Thompson

Like you said, it's because he's a pr*ck.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By Akrovah on 10/5/2009 11:34:56 AM , Rating: 2
Make it a (fat) PS3. May not have the finesse a classic would bring, but it is a heck of alot heavier.

Joking aside though, this guy was a lawyer and now wants to censor someone's freedom of speech? lol! He went on a crusade against millions of people and he is upset/surprised that some of them post mean and/or threatening things? I'm sorry but that doesn't have so much to do with playing violent video games as it does human nature when someone pisses us off.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By smackababy on 10/5/2009 11:39:57 AM , Rating: 2
Using a fat PS3 would be okay, but an Xbox would do the most damage.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By RandallMoore on 10/5/2009 12:02:06 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
Xbox would do the most damage


In the form of 3rd degree burns and red-ring psychosis.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By Akrovah on 10/5/2009 12:25:53 PM , Rating: 2
I believe he is speaking of the original Xbox, though the burn idea of the 360 has merit.

Though it was about 8.5 pounds while the PS3 can weight in at around 13 or so according to a quick Wikipedia search.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By Flunk on 10/5/2009 12:29:07 PM , Rating: 2
Fill it full of bricks, plenty of space inside that thing.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By PrinceGaz on 10/7/2009 1:55:06 AM , Rating: 2
I've got an old PC I haven't used for several years, which if I were strong enough to pick it up and whack somebody with it, would be a lot more effective than all those game consoles combined at dealing a knockout blow. Plastic games consoles aren't as good as a steel case with lots of heavy bits securely screwed into it :)

Of course, he won't be bothered about PCs (unless hit over the head with one) as PC gaming is dead (at least according to some people I've read posting on DT).


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By HostileEffect on 10/5/2009 12:36:54 PM , Rating: 1
Xbox bashing aside, that comment is pure bliss.


By PhoenixKnight on 10/5/2009 1:31:34 PM , Rating: 5
When you say 'Xbox bashing', are you referring to people insulting the Xbox, or the act of bashing Jack Thompson with Xboxes?


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By FITCamaro on 10/5/2009 12:42:32 PM , Rating: 5
How was stifling video games any less of an infringement of free speech? If I wanna shoot homeless people in the face with a bazooka in a virtual world and a company wants to make a game allowing me to do so, I should be allowed to.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By Akrovah on 10/5/2009 1:29:36 PM , Rating: 5
Also a good point. I myself do not play games like GTA as I find the subject matter to be vulgar (growing up in a law enforcement family will do that I suppose) but in no way do I think that others shoudl not be allowed to play it.


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By FITCamaro on 10/5/2009 12:41:09 PM , Rating: 2
Screw that. An original Xbox is far heavier and just as beefy. I'd like to beat him in the face with one of those until his feet stopped twitching.

Wait we might get DT sued.......


RE: I'd go for the 5200 myself.
By weebly on 10/6/2009 9:34:57 AM , Rating: 2
gotta love the fact that the post comment send part won't allow me to send.

I guess he needs a violin, to play his sad little song. Maybe his mommy can give him some ice cream with sprinkles


$120,000,000 in damages eh..
By StraightCashHomey on 10/5/2009 9:55:57 AM , Rating: 4
Where does he get off with the idea of $120,000,000 in damages?

Will someone please create a Facebook group that is titled "I HATE STRAIGHTCASHHOMEY", so I can get in on this?




RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By Fracture on 10/5/2009 11:07:42 AM , Rating: 3
He's just doing it for the attention. This lawsuit will be easily dismissed under DCMA safe harbor laws that protect the host site from the actions of the users.

Language that intimates likely physical harm however, could be trouble for the individuals that say it so please - don't make threats of violence.


By Mojo the Monkey on 10/5/2009 12:59:17 PM , Rating: 2
Easiest demurrer and motion to strike all causes of action I can think of. Should be a day's work for 1 attorney.


RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 1:09:23 PM , Rating: 2
Threats of violence WITH INTENT you mean? I can't how many times I have threatened people while I was on the road driving. That doesn't mean I had intent on any of that nor could any police arrest me for doing so.

Now if you show intent with plots/plans on killing someone, say with dates or their home address, etc then that's crossing the law.


RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By Fracture on 10/7/2009 10:01:58 AM , Rating: 2
Intent is becoming less and less relevant in criminal cases. The legislature either creates a new statute eliminating it (negligent homicide, indifference to the safety of others, etc) or becomes altogether irrelevant such as in the case of software piracy. The lack of intent to distribute hardly defers a judgement of $20,000 per song shared or a verdict of "infringment" by having the same but independently developed idea.

Such are the pitfalls of our legal system. By the way, even if you really didn't have the intent but the other person feels menaced or fearful for their own safety, you still may be on the hook.


RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By FaaR on 10/5/2009 11:46:13 AM , Rating: 3
This lawsuit has obviously less to do with Mr. Thompson's emotional distress, and rather with Mr. Thompson's raw, unadultered GREED.

I forget, isn't greed one of the deadly sins btw? After all, Mr. Thompson does pretend to be a christian, so this wild cash-grab does seem a bit unbecoming methinks...

Other aspects of christianity Mr. Thompson needs to practise more: forgiveness, meekness and turning of the other cheek.


RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By MrBlastman on 10/5/2009 11:55:49 AM , Rating: 2
Facebook should countersue him for 120,000,000.00 in wasting their and the courts time. The judge should then award them the money thus forcing Jack into bankruptcy so we never hear another news story about him.


RE: $120,000,000 in damages eh..
By Bateluer on 10/12/2009 12:54:41 PM , Rating: 2
Well, he can no longer practice law in many states. Its a start at least.


please take a moment
By Gul Westfale on 10/5/2009 10:53:09 AM , Rating: 3
please take a moment to read dear jack's wikipedia bio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(activi...

an excerpt:
quote:
In 1988, he ran for prosecutor against then incumbent Dade County State Attorney Janet Reno, after she had declined his request to prosecute Neil Rogers. Thompson gave Reno a letter at a campaign event requesting that she check a box to indicate whether she was homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. Thompson said that Reno then put her hand on his shoulder and responded, "I'm only interested in virile men. That’s why I'm not attracted to you." He filed a police report accusing her of battery for touching him.


to say that he's a lunatic is an insult to lunatics everywhere.




RE: please take a moment
By descendency on 10/5/2009 11:15:50 AM , Rating: 2
All of the sudden, I respect Janet Reno a lot more.


RE: please take a moment
By FITCamaro on 10/5/2009 12:45:29 PM , Rating: 3
I don't. Was a good comment though.


RE: please take a moment
By Flunk on 10/5/2009 12:28:29 PM , Rating: 2
I dunno, with the state of wikipedia I'm suprised his entry doesn't just read "is an asshole".


RE: please take a moment
By FaaR on 10/5/2009 5:54:01 PM , Rating: 2
It probably has, multiple times!

Have you checked previous versions of the page? :P


RE: please take a moment
By Donovan on 10/6/2009 2:23:40 PM , Rating: 1
Looks like he has, indeed, been called an asshole by Wikipedia, though it was corrected within seconds by ClueBot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...

Some of the other things he has been called that were later reverted:

"twat"
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...

"huge douchebag"
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...

"mentally-unstable"
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...

"raging homosexual"
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...

"Republican"
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Tho...


RE: please take a moment
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 1:25:37 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
According to Thompson, "If some wacked-out adult wants to spend his time playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, one has to wonder why he doesn't get a life, but when it comes to kids, it has a demonstrable impact on their behavior and the development of the frontal lobes of their brain.",/quote>

So he's a lawyer AND a doctor too? Holy crap! The guy is a genius!

He's also telling people what to do with their free time and if they don't spend their time like he does (suing everyone on the planet) then they apparently don't have lives?


RE: please take a moment
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 1:27:14 PM , Rating: 2
Drat! Forgot the end quote properly...should read like this.

quote:
According to Thompson, "If some wacked-out adult wants to spend his time playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, one has to wonder why he doesn't get a life, but when it comes to kids, it has a demonstrable impact on their behavior and the development of the frontal lobes of their brain."


So he's a lawyer AND a doctor too? Holy crap! The guy is a genius!

He's also telling people what to do with their free time and if they don't spend their time like he does (suing everyone on the planet) then they apparently don't have lives?


What goes around...
By 3minence on 10/5/2009 9:29:44 AM , Rating: 5
I would sue him for causing me emotional distress because of his ridiculous lawsuits, but unfortunately I wouldn't be able to keep a strait face in the witness stand. Kinda hard to prove emotional distress when your laughing hysterically at the guy and his stupid antics.




RE: What goes around...
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 10:02:15 AM , Rating: 2
Best yet...just ignore people like him? He obviously got noobed up one too many times in Unreal Tournament.


RE: What goes around...
By Mitch101 on 10/5/2009 10:08:19 AM , Rating: 2
I agree its time to stop giving this guy Air time and just ignore him. He isn't news. He is just a pest. The sooner we ignore him the sooner he will be standing on a box in downtown NY screaming how the world is coming to an end.

Penn and Teller recently did their BS show on Video Game violence. It was short but to the point. Case closed.


RE: What goes around...
By jonmcc33 on 10/5/2009 3:59:26 PM , Rating: 2
On second thought, the guy has sued everyone from game developers to the Florida Bar. Someone seriously shat in his Cheerios when he was a kid. Time to ignore the tool. He has no effect on my violent combat training...I mean PC gaming.


Classic!
By ie5x on 10/5/2009 10:00:01 AM , Rating: 2
Thankfully... some people never change! Now only if he gets banned from that Facebook group as well! Do we have a possibility of another lawsuit!?




RE: Classic!
By DarkElfa on 10/5/2009 10:19:19 AM , Rating: 5
Here, I made this gif for Jack a while ago and it just fits perfectly.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b43/DarkElfa/jac...

You can find your own personal Satan where ever you look for him.


RE: Classic!
By Queonda on 10/5/2009 11:26:44 PM , Rating: 2
I just posted that link on the anti-Thompson Facebook group wall :)


Emotional Distress?
By kingpotnoodle on 10/5/2009 10:05:57 AM , Rating: 2
More like caused him "to have dollar signs flash in his eyes and jump with glee at thought of self publicity"...

What he missed when thinking about thus was that he now looks like a total wimp and even more of a waste of space than before!




RE: Emotional Distress?
By MrWho on 10/5/2009 10:09:42 AM , Rating: 2
Waste of space? Even oxygen is too good for him...


RE: Emotional Distress?
By FITCamaro on 10/5/2009 12:47:59 PM , Rating: 2
We could launch him into space but we're supposed to be cutting down on space junk.


The truth of the matter
By the goat on 10/5/2009 9:39:42 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
ironically Thompson's lawsuit is helping to promote the group as word of the lawsuit spreads


Not ironic at all. Thompson gets a boner from publicity good or bad. The only reason he continues with these endless lawsuits is because people keep giving him the attention he craves.




RE: The truth of the matter
By n0ebert on 10/5/2009 10:23:18 AM , Rating: 2
Wouldn't the real irony be how he considered himself such a crusader for the first amendment on fox news yet, as this bit of news is showing, will sue anyone that ever tries to use it who have a certain distaste for this idiot?

I read gamepolitics.com daily and read last week that he sent the president of facebook 3 faxes (presumably for 3 different anti-jack thompson sites) and when the webmaster of GP replied back to him about it kindly informing him of the 'report' button. His reply? "Total moron".

He doesn't have emotional distress, he's trying to cash in on the hatred he has from anyone that dare mention his name. I'm sure he's sitting in front of his PC googling "jack thompson" every 5 minutes loving all of this new attention he's getting.


Special request
By gstrickler on 10/5/2009 11:19:13 AM , Rating: 5
Dear moderator, please give a 6 to every post that points out what a self serving idiot Jack Thompson is. So far, that's about 60% of the posts.




Group is now at 1519 members
By TxJeepers on 10/5/2009 1:11:22 PM , Rating: 2
This guy is a leech on society with another frivolous lawsuit. Go away Jack. I've joined the Facebook group.
Now, can someone please tell me when the hell Valve is going to release HL2E3?




RE: Group is now at 1519 members
By Chocobollz on 10/5/2009 2:48:06 PM , Rating: 3
When you're not asking for it anymore :p


Bankrupt this guy
By nafhan on 10/5/2009 11:10:58 AM , Rating: 4
He's already been disbarred and he's not allowed to sue anyone without jumping through a lot of hoops. The court system needs to hit him with some massive fines for his rediculous behavior. This guy is consistently attempting to make a mockery of the court system to advance his own personal agenda and should pay for it.




The funny thing is...
By dxf2891 on 10/5/2009 11:53:25 AM , Rating: 2
Either he supported the GTA franchise with a purchase or he stole that game he's pictured with. If he didn't purchase it, RockStar games should sue him for using their game to promote himself.




RE: The funny thing is...
By Flunk on 10/5/2009 12:26:42 PM , Rating: 2
Even if he did purchase it Take Two should still sue him for illegitimate use of trademarks.


Finally, a reason to join Facebook!
By Worldwalker on 10/5/2009 5:13:55 PM , Rating: 2
I've never had a reason to join Facebook, but that was before I found out there's a group devoted to mockery of Wacko Jacko.

I strongly object to the idea of hitting Jack Thompson with an Atari 2600, however, especially anywhere on his head, which obviously has the density of solid granite (or maybe neutronium). The 2600 doesn't deserve the abuse and Jacko doesn't deserve the publicity. He needs to be hit with something that will really hurt him: a gag order.




By FaaR on 10/5/2009 5:58:28 PM , Rating: 2
Funny, I always thought dear Jacko's head had the density (and consistency) of feces... ;)


.
By eddieroolz on 10/5/2009 9:23:58 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
Suffered emotional distress


Yeah right.




The cycle of evil continues
By xprojected on 10/5/2009 1:26:13 PM , Rating: 3
Jack sues someone for an insane amount of money.
Cable news network brings him on because he is suing someone for an insane amount of money, and they need interviews to fill up their time.
Jack gets to push his agenda on cable news network.
Rinse and repeat.




By DEredita on 10/5/2009 5:28:48 PM , Rating: 1
After all these years of frivolous lawsuits costing our country millions of dollars, I hope he gets a malignant brain tumor and dies.




By jonmcc33 on 10/6/2009 8:10:46 AM , Rating: 2
You apparently have never known anyone or lost anyone from brain cancer have you?

I wouldn't wish it upon ANYONE nor should you. Grow up.


Ha!
By Camikazi on 10/5/2009 9:26:56 AM , Rating: 2
“Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600.” That's a classic, in more ways then one!




I thought he was already dead
By mydogfarted on 10/5/2009 10:19:25 AM , Rating: 2
Oh wait, that was just his career.




What is wrong with people!
By Megadeth on 10/5/2009 10:21:13 AM , Rating: 2
Seriously! It's pathetic that we live in an era where ridiculous lawsuits like this can even be entertained! The immediate response from such a lawsuit should have resulted in a fine to Mr. Thompson for wasting everyone's time! To top it all off Mr. Thompson is asking for such a ludicrous amount of money, that the whole subject loses it's comical value.

Everyone better watch their comments on dailytech or Mr. Thompson might come after this site also!




Only 1539 members?
By jimbojimbo on 10/5/2009 2:12:54 PM , Rating: 2
Never even heard about the group but thanks to Jacky boy I'm a member.




Wow
By Octoberblue on 10/5/2009 4:53:34 PM , Rating: 2
Dude needs to get a job. Trying to get that easy money through litigation has become one of the nastiest American pastimes.




Speaking of Facebook
By Queonda on 10/5/2009 11:19:57 PM , Rating: 2
I vote DT should pull a facebook/YouTube and let us give comments a thumbs up/down with a running total




Smack?
By Pudro on 10/6/2009 5:42:51 AM , Rating: 2
If I was going to smack him with anything, it would be with section 230 of the CDA. And if possible, some kind of a fine for this meritless lawsuit.




A stance for this guy.
By bongsi21 on 10/6/2009 10:30:10 AM , Rating: 2
In my own opinion this guy is misleading the justice system and twisting it to his own liking. I hope Facebook fight this guy up to the end.




By VooDooAddict on 10/7/2009 10:01:15 AM , Rating: 2
He's made himself a very public figure, and so public disapproval comes with the territory. As usual, he's got nothing to stand on.

The only possible issue... if there are direct AND CREDIBLE threats against his life. Then that is a matter for the police to handle NOT civil court.




Whos the idiot?
By dsumanik on 10/7/2009 9:14:14 PM , Rating: 2
You have to wonder if this guy is disbarred exactly who will be representing him in court...talk about a client i wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, it can only lead to bad publicity, or even a countersuit by thompson himself.

Oh yeah, and irregardless of wacko jacky boy....in actual court you are fighting facebook's deep deep pockets, i wonder how much that will cost?

I think in this day and age they are more "profitable" 120 million dollar lawsuits!

thompson if you are reading this by all means call me at 1 800 fuq rite off from canada




I joined because of Jack
By Nik00117 on 10/8/2009 8:21:44 AM , Rating: 2
I joined the group because Jack sued the group. Sue me too you SOB, I'm going hit Jack Thompson with a PS3 and finish and then a Xbox 360!!! Maybe throw an Iphone at him for giggles.




a
By ol1bit on 10/10/2009 1:00:36 AM , Rating: 2
LOL, I'm now a fan of that group!




Thompson
By Deadissident on 11/2/2009 11:19:53 AM , Rating: 2
Should just add a mod to GTA that puts His face on every person. Let each player decide his fate.




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