High Quality
Open the downloaded document, and select print from the file menu (PDF reader required).
FOR PUBLICATION
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALSFOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
C
ECILIA
L. B
ARNES
,No. 05-36189
Plaintiff-Appellant,
D.C. No.v.
CV-05-00926-AAY
AHOO!
, I
NC
., a Delaware Corp.,OPINION
Defendant-Appellee.
Appeal from the United States District Courtfor the District of OregonAnn L. Aiken, District Judge, PresidingArgued and SubmittedOctober 14, 2008—Portland, OregonFiled May 7, 2009Before: Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain, Susan P. Graber, andConsuelo M. Callahan, Circuit Judges.Opinion by Judge O’Scannlain
5311
COUNSEL
Thomas R. Rask, III, Kell, Alterman & Runstein LLP, Port-land, Oregon, argued the cause for the appellant and filedbriefs. Denise N. Gorrell, Kell, Alterman & Runstein LLP,Portland, Oregon, was also on the briefs.Patrick J. Carome, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and DorrLLP, Washington, D.C., argued the cause for the appellee andfiled the brief; Samir Jain and C. Colin Rushing, Wilmer, Cut-ler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr LLP, Washington, D.C., andReginald Davis and Eulonda Skyles, of Counsel for Yahoo!,Inc., Sunnyvale, California, were also on the brief.
OPINION
O’SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judge:We must decide whether the Communications Decency Actof 1996 protects an internet service provider from suit whereit undertook to remove from its website material harmful tothe plaintiff but failed to do so.
5314B
ARNES
v. Y
AHOO!
, I
NC
.
IThis case stems from a dangerous, cruel, and highly inde-cent use of the internet for the apparent purpose of revenge.
1
In late 2004, Cecilia Barnes broke off a lengthy relationshipwith her boyfriend. For reasons that are unclear, he respondedby posting profiles of Barnes on a website run by Yahoo!, Inc.(“Yahoo”). According to Yahoo’s Member Directory, “[a]public profile is a page with information about you that otherYahoo! members can view. You[r] profile allows you to pub-licly post information about yourself that you want to sharewith the world. Many people post their age, pictures, location,and hobbies on their profiles.” Through Yahoo’s online ser-vice, computer users all over the country and the world canview such profiles.Barnes did not authorize her now former boyfriend to postthe profiles, which is hardly surprising considering their con-tent. The profiles contained nude photographs of Barnes andher boyfriend, taken without her knowledge, and some kindof open solicitation, whether express or implied is unclear, toengage in sexual intercourse. The ex-boyfriend then con-ducted discussions in Yahoo’s online “chat rooms,” posing asBarnes and directing male correspondents to the fraudulentprofiles he had created. The profiles also included theaddresses, real and electronic, and telephone number atBarnes’ place of employment. Before long, men whom
1
The parties agree that, as this appeal comes to us on grant of a motionfor dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), we acceptas true the facts alleged in the complaint and construe them in the lightmost favorable to the plaintiff.
Anderson v. Clow
(
In re Stac ElectronicsSecurities Litig.
), 89 F.3d 1399, 1403 (9th Cir. 1996) (also noting that“conclusory allegations of law and unwarranted inferences are insufficientto defeat a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim” (internal quota-tion marks omitted)). Yahoo has indicated that it would “hotly contest[ ]”the factual allegations of the complaint if it is not dismissed.
5315B
ARNES
v. Y
AHOO!
, I
NC
.
Add a Comment