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A social media influencer has obtained Superior Court orders requiring Facebook to provide her with information to identify anonymous individuals who she claims are harassing, defaming and harassing her online.
The action against the social media giant was initiated by Lisa McGowan, who runs the Lisa’s Lust List website.
She claims that she and her business are subjected to online harassment and defamatory comments by the parties, through social media accounts, whom she has not been able to identify.
To sue these posters for defamation, she sought warrants against Facebook Ireland Ltd, which she hopes will help her identify the person or persons behind certain posts on the Facebook and Instagram platforms.
In Superior Court on Monday, Judge Niamh Hyland said she was satisfied by the evidence presented in court that Ms. McGowan was entitled to an order, known as the “Norwich Pharmacal” order.
The order requires Facebook Ireland Ltd to provide it with details that the social media company has about account holders that Ms McGowan claims are posting controversial posts about her.
Details include the identities of the account users, names, postal addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, IP address, and Internet service provider.
Matthew Jolley BL, instructed by John Connellan of Carley and Ms. McGowan’s attorneys for Connellan, said that discussions between the parties had resulted in an agreed form of wording for the order requested by his client.
In response, Rossa Fanning SC for Facebook said its side was “remaining neutral” in relation to Ms McGowan’s request, which it described as a classic “Norwich Pharmacal” order.
Legal costs
The attorney thanked Ms. McGowan for agreeing that the posts she was complaining about had nothing to do with her client, adding that Facebook would not seek its legal costs against her.
After issuing the requested order, Judge Hyland adjourned the matter generally, free to file a request. The judge also did not issue an order regarding who should pay the legal costs of the action, meaning that both parties will pay their own costs.
In a statement released out of court, Ms. McGowan welcomed the judge’s decision to issue the order.
Ms McGowan’s site specializes in promoting products including fashion, beauty, health, travel and household items, produced primarily by small and medium-sized companies based in Ireland, and has 300,000 followers.
Ms. McGowan, from Tullamore, Co Offaly, began her online promotional work after winning the Best Dressed Women’s Competition at the Galway Races in 2016.
In recent weeks, she claims that she and members of her family have been victims of bullying, trolling and bullying online.
The publication of these comments, she says, is “designed solely to inflict financial and reputational damage” to her and her company.
He also claims that he is a victim of what Mr. Jolley told the Supreme Court are “sinister posts” about his movements, which amount to harassment.
In addition to her planned defamation proceeding, Ms. McGowan also filed a complaint about the publications with Gardaí.
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