October 16, 2009
Judge Tom
1

High school athlete sues classmates over Facebook profile

Four teenage boys in Illinois created a fake Facebook profile about a student athlete at their school in Cook County. They added his real name, cell phone number and a few photos.

FacebookSpencerEHoltaway

Spencer E. Holtaway

Over the month the page was up, they posted sexual statements claiming that he was gay and obscenities to make him appear to be racist (including one about President Obama). It was seen by over 500 “friends” before Facebook removed it.

The victim was humiliated and embarassed. His reputation as an athlete and good student was damaged, and he had to change coaches and academic advisors. He and his family were alienated from their friends.

In September, 2009, “John Doe” and his mother sued the four culprits referred to by only their initials R.C., A.G., K.Z. and M.S. They are suing for defamation and severe emotional distress, and seek unspecified damages and an order against the four prohibiting similar conduct in the future.

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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