CPA Mark Maughan is upset that a 2003 Google search for his name leads to a web page that, he says, accuses him incorrectly of wrongdoing. So he’s suing Google, AOL, Time Warner, and Yahoo–and guaranteeing that a search engine result for his name will now reveal him to be litigious. (Mark Maughan appears to be complaining about this page from the California Board of Accountancy that lists disciplinary actions, and claims that Maughan admitted the allegations against him. The Board defends the accuracy of its site.) Amusingly unclear on the concept: “Since AOL-Time Warner are one company, both are named as defendants, said plaintiffs attorney John A. Girardi.” (“Accountant ‘Googles’ Himself, Sues for Libel”, NBC4-TV, Mar. 19; Seth Fineberg, “Calif. CPA Sues Google, Others for Libel”, CPANews, Mar. 24; Slashdot thread) (via Bashman).

Filed under: libel slander and defamation