A website that publishes anonymous gossip about college students, some identified by first and last name and dormitory, has been subpoenaed by the Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Consumer Affairs as part of a state investigation into the operation of the college gossip website.
The state is investigating whether JuicyCampus.com is violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act through unconscionable commercial practices and misrepresentations to users. The state's subpoena, issued to site owner Lime Blue, L.L.C. Of Reno, Nevada, requests information about how the company selects supported campuses' as identified on its web site, how the school affiliation of posters is verified and how it implements the Parental Consent Forms it requires for posters under 18 years old, among other items. New Jersey's Princeton University is listed as a supported campus.
Misrepresentation to the public by businesses violates our Consumer Fraud Act, Attorney General Anne Milgram said. JuicyCampus.com must honor the terms and conditions that it informs the public it will adhere to.
Postings on JuicyCampus.com include uncomplimentary references to the physical characteristics, race, ethnicity and implied sexual experiences of students. The site's User Conduct Terms require posters to agree that they will not post content that is abusive, obscene or invasive of another's privacy. JuicyCampus.com tells the public that this offensive content may be removed, but the site apparently lacks tools to report or dispute this material.
The state issued a second subpoena to Adbrite, Inc., a San Francisco-based online advertising company that advertises on the JuicyCampus.com web site. The state is requesting information about the business relationship between Adbrite and JuicyCampus.com in order to determine how JuicyCampus.com represented its operation to Adbrite, including the types of ads and advertising keywords requested by JuicyCampus.com.
Additionally, the State sent a letter to Google, Inc., to inquire about the company's prior business relationship with JuicyCampus.com. Advertising provided through Google's AdSense Online Program no longer appear on JuicyCampus.com
Consumer Affairs E-Commerce Investigative Unit is leading the investigation of JuicyCampus.com, along with Assistant Attorney General James Savage.
Doesn't Anne Milgram know that websites like JuicyCampus and this one can't be touched by foolish Attorney Generals trying to trump the 1st amendment. Anne Milgram is overreaching and grandstanding. Remember what happened to the last Northeastern AG who did that! Shame on you Anne Milgram for trying to intimidate this website operator to editor their content for you. Don't you know that websites are untouchable because of the wonderful 47 USC 230. If you don't like it, change the law. The best thing about websites like JuicyCampus and this one especially is that Google Loves Them. So if you want a page 1 ranking, just post there and you'll be there soon. Anne Milgram needs to understand that website are more powerful than Attorney Generals and we can do whatever we want. I challenge Anne Milgram to do anything about JuicyCampus or this website. It WON'T happen. She's just like Spitzer. Fight through press releases and empty threats, but she knows she's got no case. Shame on you Anne Milgram, Attorney General. You won't make governor like this.
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