Offensive posts inundate law school Web site

A message board for law students has recently been gathering attention from a variety of sources for its creators' decision to keep sexist, racist and homophobic messages posted on the Web site.

And Penn Law student Anthony Ciolli, one of the directors of that Web site, AutoAdmit.com, wrote Monday night that he has resigned from the site.

Ciolli would not return requests for comment, though his resignation was confirmed by co-director Jarret Cohen, an insurance agent.

Cohen said that "people from all over have tried to threaten [Ciolli] with informing the bar of things they felt were unethical."

"He's lived in fear, running this Web site for a long time, and, honestly, I can understand that," Cohen added.

In his post, Ciolli cited "an incident of cyber harassment . by someone purporting to be a member of this [the site's] community" but did not elaborate further. "This incident crossed a line for me that simply should not have been crossed."

But Ciolli and Cohen may have crossed lines themselves.

The two kept links on the site that connect to contests featuring photographs of women - taken without their consent - from Web sites like Facebook and Myspace that invite users to rank the "hottest girls" in the country's top 14 law schools, for example.

Still, despite the offensive content, Penn officials say that the creators are within their legal rights.

"Every lawyer we've spoken to says . free speech issues [are] involved," Gary Clinton, dean of student affairs at Penn Law said. "People can say and do some pretty bothersome things, but those things are protected."

Cohen said that, in the past, highly offensive posters have been banned.

Meanwhile, several affected women have recently enlisted the help of ReputationDefender, an online reputation-protection firm.

Ross Chanin, co-founder of ReputationDefender, said his organization has represented women defamed on AutoAdmit for years.

"At least one of our clients has contacted the [Web site] administrators directly, as have we on our client's behalf, to ask for threads attacking them to be removed," Chanin said. "Those entreaties have been ignored."

Cohen pointed out that ReputationDefender's involvement may have exacerbated the situation. Instead of contacting Ciolli or him director, "they went to the media and law deans and created this media frenzy."

In a Washington Post article published last Wednesday about AutoAdmit, the creators defended themselves, citing their first amendment right to leave whatever content they see fit, even if some find it offensive or hurtful.

But more than feelings may be at stake.

"One of our clients has significant reason to believe that she has not received a job in spite of her stellar academic credentials because of things that had been said about her on this Web site," Chanin said.

This client, a Yale Law School student who would not disclose her identity for fear of retribution from message board posters, was recently featured in the same Post article, prompting both Yale and Penn to respond to the controversy.

Last Thursday, Clinton, along with Penn Law Dean Michael Fitts, posted a letter on the site stating that, while debates should be encouraged, "we all have a moral and professional obligation to engage in that debate in a responsible manner."

Some students say that, first amendment or not, the right thing to do is to monitor the content.

"I . don't see any benefit in him not taking down things like this," said first-year law student Noam Besdin. "I don't see any victory for civil rights."

And others, unwilling to become affiliated with AutoAdmit, concurred.

"It is his business to put his foot down and not tolerate it," said one second-year law student.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.