THE IRISH Red Cross has brought a High Court action against Google seeking to obtain the identity of a blogger who allegedly posted inaccurate and damaging confidential material about the charity on the internet.
Mr Justice Brian McGovern yesterday gave permission to the organisation to have Google Incorporated, California, US, named as the defendant in the action.
The organisation said Google Ireland, which had been originally named as the defendant, had advised it the blog was controlled by its parent company. Yesterday’s order means the organisation may serve the parent company in California.
The action had also been taken against UPC Communications Ireland Ltd but the court heard yesterday that proceedings against that company are to be discontinued.
The organisation claims the material posted anonymously by the blogger has wilfully distorted and misconstrued confidential material.
In a statement yesterday, the Irish Red Cross said it would continue to pursue the actual blogger or bloggers. They said the action against Google was being taken merely to identify the person who was posting the material, which was inaccurate and damaging.
It had had a serious impact on staff morale, on fundraising and on the day-to-day running of the organisation, the statement said.
“Once we have identified the blogger/s, they can speak for themselves, and they will be given every opportunity to do so, and to justify their actions”.