Obscene to be Believed

ApolloMedia v. Reno

On January 30, 1997, annoy.com filed a federal court action seeking declaratory and injunctive relief challenging the provisions of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) of 1996 that criminalized any "indecent" computer communication intended to "annoy" another person. Much of the content on annoy.com is deliberately provocative and very often, somewhat crass,mocking the pretensions and piety of politicians and media alike. The CDA’s assault on the First Amendment could not be countered with subtleties. So began a prolonged court battle against Janet Reno and the Clinton Administration that was finally determined by the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

[Learn about Apollomedia v. Reno]



United States of America v. ApolloMedia

In June 1999 the government ordered ApolloMedia to disclose the identity of a user of our site annoy.com's popular electronic greeting card service. The service facilitates anonymous communications. The information they were seeking followed a similar attempt in April 1999 by the University of Houston, which tried unsuccessfully to obtain ApolloMedia records. At the same time the court slapped a gag order on ApolloMedia. We were ordered to refrain from discussing not only the content of the order with anyone until authorized by the court, but the very existence of the order and its application. The unprecedented blanket gag order was unlimited in time and scope. Payback for our own Supreme Court lawsuit against the United States, ApolloMedia v. Reno?

[Learn about United States v. ApolloMedia]



How Big is Big?

This letter is to confirm telephone conversations that I had earlier today with an employee of your company and with your lawyer, William Bennett Turner, regarding an pornographic ApolloMedia postcard which was sent out by your company under Mr. Rosensweig's name. Mr. Rosensweig never ordered this mailing and it was created and ordered by a third party without his knowledge or consent.

See how a media company was taught an invaluable lesson in intellectual property, parody, pomposity and the basic rule of law.

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History: Snapshots of the events, people and brands -- and lawsuits, that are rooted in annoy.com's already formidable five year history. Use the drop-down menu above to select the history you would like to see.


THIS MONTH IN ANNOY.COM HISTORY

We are almost 10 years old! A look back at what happened in August since 1997!

EDITORIALS

It Takes a Prick
by CLINTON FEIN
Tuesday, August 16, 2005

The Silence of the Sodomites
by CLINTON FEIN
Friday, August 08, 2003

God Hates Fags No More!
An Interview with Benjamin Phelps

by CLINTON FEIN
Friday, August 20, 1999

An Apology, and a Wink Or Three
by CLINTON FEIN
Saturday, August 01, 1998

 
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