Jack Thompson Sues Facebook for $120 Million

By Jane McEntegart, published on October 1, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: , , , , | Themes: Business, Digital Entertainment
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It's days like today when I wonder what exactly goes on inside Jack Thompson's head.

Jack Thompson is suing social networking site Facebook for allowing users to post threatening messages about him in an "We Hate Jack Thompson" group.

Thompson has long been an advocate for protecting children from the violence and sex commonly found in games like Grand Theft Auto. Thompson was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court in July of 2008. The court cited inappropriate conduct, including making false statements to tribunals and disparaging and humiliating litigants as the reason for Thompson's disbarment.

Thompson this week filed a suit against Facebook because the company did not respond to his requests to have threatening comments removed. According to Bloomberg, Thompson said the comments started after his 2006 interview on 60 Minutes. Users started a "We Hate Jack Thompson" group which they used to post comments such as, "Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600."

Thompson says in his lawsuit that he sent faxes to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in August and September. In his complaint the former-lawyer noted that a poll asking whether or not President Barack Obama should be assassinated was removed as soon as Facebook was notified and is currently being investigated  by the United States Secret Service.

As a result, Thompson is claiming intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and failure to supervise the site. How much does he want? Oh just $120 million.

Do you think Facebook should have removed the group? Let us know below!

Read the full story on Bloomberg.

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Comments

itheral 10/01/2009 9:26 PM
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"Jack Thompson SHOULD be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600."

:D

bogcotton 10/01/2009 9:26 PM
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Lmao.
Sure they should have deleted GENUINELY threatening comments, but I fail to see where having some internet kids trash talk about you is worth 120 million?
Not even 100,000.

bogcotton 10/01/2009 9:28 PM
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tsiberious 10/01/2009 9:28 PM
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He needs to get a new hobby... like woodworking, or taking cyanide

jtt283 10/01/2009 9:28 PM
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Has this guy ever produced anything of value in his life, or is he just a muckraking parasite?

FlayerSlayer 10/01/2009 9:29 PM
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AHHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Seriously, talking about assassination of a public figure, especially the President, is not funny. But a hyperbole about hitting an anti-gaming advocate with a game system is farce. It's not at all the same thing, and it only happens regardless because he's so uptight and unreasonable to begin with. You can't sue all your problems away, Jack. The more you try, the more people are going to pick on you.

Anonymous 10/01/2009 9:29 PM
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Screw the atari 2600 get a genesis with a sega cd and slap this man! 120 million dollars? For what, because you made yourself a public figure and now expect to not hear bad things about you because of your stance on a controversial topic? Get a life or better yet go play a video game.

FlayerSlayer 10/01/2009 9:30 PM
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jtt283 :
Has this guy ever produced anything of value in his life, or is he just a muckraking parasite?

He's a muckraking parasite.

MAC_HATER 10/01/2009 9:30 PM
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hes not the smartest cookie in the jar is he?

if he is then that scares me :0

Scotteq 10/01/2009 9:32 PM
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He's.. or rather *was*... a Lawyer.


Therefore, by education, training, certification, and profession, he IS a muckraking parasite.

Anonymous 10/01/2009 9:34 PM
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Facebook should have at least responded to him. They have a history of ignoring its users when issues like this come up. And if death threats were made then they should have taken some action. If none were made, then it is obviously up to Facebook whether or not they want to take it down, but they should at least respond after his numerous petitions were sent no matter what they decided to do.

bourgeoisdude 10/01/2009 9:36 PM
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FlayerSlayer :
He's a muckraking parasite.



Careful--now he may try to sue Toms Guide for you saying that :D

Anonymous 10/01/2009 9:38 PM
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If threats were made, then Facebook should take action. If not, then hey, public figures are fair game. But Facebook should have at least responded to him. They have a notorious reputation of ignoring its users whenever issues like this or others like an account getting hijacked come up.

Scotteq 10/01/2009 9:39 PM
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Scotteq :
He's.. or rather *was*... a Lawyer.Therefore, by education, training, certification, and profession, he IS a muckraking parasite.





...and besides: He was disbarred for his malfesance. Being Disbarred, he can no longer practice law and therefore needs an income. Because "Disbarred Muckraking Parasite" looks pretty bad on your resume, it logically follows that the best/easiest approach is to find some way to make someone else give him the income which he can no longer (earn?) for himself.

Enter: Facebook

Deotronic 10/01/2009 9:39 PM
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I was at least hoping there were a boatload of people in that group.

But no, only 50.

51, now. Jerk.

buddhav1 10/01/2009 9:44 PM
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look on the bright side. Maybe now he'll focus on Social Sites, instead of annoying gamers with his hatred of games made and rated for ADULTS. M=17+. don't take it out on those of us playing a game that is in our age group, you nazi. Take it out on the retailers that sell M-Rated Games to Minors. Wal-Mart, anyone?

njkid3 10/01/2009 9:46 PM
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he should do the world a huge favor and just crawl back in the hole he came from

Hitokage 10/01/2009 9:46 PM
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Why waste a good Atari 2600? Smack him in the face with a CD-i, that'll do some damage and some good for the gaming community by removing one more horrific console from the pool.

balister 10/01/2009 9:48 PM
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Jack Thompson is depriving a village somewhere of its idiot.

Anonymous 10/01/2009 9:49 PM
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Everything that's happened to JT is nothing short of his own fault. His popularity was earned through witch-hunts and lack of reason. If anything he doesn't deserve the slap by an atari... he deserves being thrown in a pit and stoned by a barage of Sega Dreamcasts.

Anonymous 10/01/2009 9:50 PM
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The suit is for $40 million NOT $120 million.

VioMeTriX 10/01/2009 9:50 PM
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i happen to live in florida and not to far from this clown, ive seen him in person, and know where he lives....thank god i value my freedom or hed be the person id use to satisfy that curiuosity of what it would be like to take a human life.
we should all sue him for waste of the courts time and spamming our internet with talk about his useless piece of shit ass.... i only hope hes a victim of a hit n run instead of good people that is all too common here in south florida.

Jack, you are a piece of crap that deserves a royal flushing

The_Blood_Raven 10/01/2009 9:53 PM
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He was in the Supreme Court which means he was a self induced public figure, which means people can say they want to rape him with an Xbox 360 controller and he can't do anything about it, that's the law.

Deotronic 10/01/2009 9:58 PM
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Mcgoo4444 :
The suit is for $40 million NOT $120 million.



Hrm, Bloomberg seems to think it's $120 million, GoodGearGuide thinks it's $40 million. Most sites (Slashdot, etc.) are referencing the GoodGearGuide... I think we can agree, whatever the number, that some muckraker is feeling butt-hurt and now desires excessive compensation for people being upset that he's a jerk.

sycon 10/01/2009 10:01 PM
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Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face, repeatedly, with an Atari 2600. Wonder if he'll try to sue me or tomsguide for letting me post this comment.

mrface 10/01/2009 10:09 PM
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jack thompson is an idiot

logan88 10/01/2009 10:13 PM
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I'm joining the group right now.

ssalim 10/01/2009 10:16 PM
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It's not threatening messages, you chicken (Jack Thompson).
You need to get a new life or a brain. I think a brain would be easier.

distortion 10/01/2009 10:23 PM
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jack thompson is a chihuahua. cant do jack (no pun), but so damn loud and obnoxious. there are other ways to get rich, jack, like hard work. ever had a one to one with it? didn't think so

zarf42 10/01/2009 10:25 PM
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This is curious. Since most of the group's participants are Americans, since Facebook is headquartered on American soil, and since Jack Thompson is an American, does that mean that American Free Speech rights apply? If so, case closed. Jack Thompson should be struck about the face with an Atari 2600 for wasting the Jury's time (Which IMHO, is a greater crime than insulting people over the internet).

However, if we suddenly decide to use international laws about free speech, all bets are off.

Personally, I'm rooting for the Atari.

Anonymous 10/01/2009 10:32 PM
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"Jack Thompson should be smacked across the face with an Atari 2600." bahaha, That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Not only are there thosands of other "we hate so and so" groups, but Internet threats are hollow threats at best. This is America, and I have the right to say whatever I want about whoever I want in a social networking group. $120 million, he he he......


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