Facebook ordered to release identities of 2 Richmond County council critics

A Supreme Court of Nova Scotia judge has orderedFacebookto release the identities of two accountholders to Richmond County CAO Warren OlsenandCoun.SteveSampson.

The menallege they were defamed by comments posted on theFacebookpageTaxpayers of Richmond County, NS,administered by someone using the profile name JakeSampson,and on apage using the profile name Jim Davis.

OlsenandSampsonallege those names are fake.

"I am satisfied that the nature and number of postings by theSampsonand DavisFacebookaccounts override any reasonable expectation that those persons should be entitled toremain anonymous," JusticeMichaelWood said in a ruling released Monday.

Wood did dismissa request to haveFacebookrelease the identifyof the creator of a third account that used the profile namePaul Burke.

Facebook ordered to preserve accounts

Earlier this year, Wood orderedFacebookto preserve the accounts while their creators/userswere notified, throughFacebook, that Olsen andSampsonwere seeking to learn their identities.

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Sampson and Olsen were regular social media targets of Richmond County citizens unhappy with a decision to downsize countycouncil, and Sampson's initial refusalto agree to a forensic audit of council and staff expenses.

Sampson also allegedin April that he was the target of a blackmail attempt over a phone call he made to a male escort agency that appeared on his hotel bill while he travelled on municipal business in 2014.

The Nova Scotia Office of the Ombudsman said in March itwasinvestigating complaints about council and staff expenses. Anindependent forensic audit was also launched and a committee was formed to revise the municipality'stravel expense practices.

Acting warden Malcolm Beaton saidthe first recommendation is that all travel expense claims ofcouncillors, thewarden and senior staff be posted online.

"Anything inthe fiscal year will be included with it," he said. "We promised transparency and we certainly willmake sure that's going to be it."

That change is expected to beapproved in September.

No licence to defame

NeitherFacebooknor the two account holders responded to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotiaaction requesting their identities.

Wood said he weighed the account owners' charter rights of free expression and privacyagainst Olsen andSampson'spotential defamation claim.

"Internet anonymity cannot beused to shield people who unfairly damage another's reputation from being held accountable," he saidin his decision.

"Anonymous posters should not have a licence to defame without consequences."

Neither OlsennorSampsonhaveresponded to a request for comment.