A few days ago, Senator Loren Legarda issued a press release asking authorities “to find ways to shut off boybastos.com.” The user-driven porn site responded with a dare, and eventually apologized for “taking a break“, blaming traffic overload. Yesterday, National Bureau of Investigation (the local version of the FBI) served Mark Verzo, apparently the owner of the domain boybastos.com, with a search warrant. They went through his house and confiscated equipment, while a rep was at hand to provide some soundbites for the TV viewing public:
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It will be interesting to see what laws the authorities will cite if and when they charge anyone. At the very least, we’ll see how Philippine courts apply local Internet laws, and the legal basis for any case filed against Mr. Verzo. A big factor driving boybastos.com’s relative popularity (aside from sex of course) is its user-driven nature; anyone can sign up for an account, and upload explicit pictures to share with the user community. Frequent users tell me that many of these images are thus publicized without their subjects’ consent. Does this represent a privacy violation of sorts? To what degree is the owner of a website responsible for the content?
I also wonder if Loren Legarda’s name on the domain registry is an important factor. Obviously a tongue-in-cheek joke (the info was last updated September 5, 2007), but Mark could end up regretting it if he gets hit with a libel lawsuit.
24 Responses to “Boy Bastos Under the Scrutiny of Philippine Authorities”
[...] of authorities towards the Philippine Internet. Could it be that Loren Legarda eyed Boy Bastos because of the domain registry information? leave a response trackback blogging, Filipino, Technology, Media Enter your email [...]
Changing your domain registration info. using other person ’s name is really a bad move/joke..
Also, but how come they let’s this porn site ad on national primetime TV ? read it here http://www.pepster.net/2007/08/23/dance-group-brand-name-gone-bad/
[...] Bayanihan Blogs [...]
i would like to also see how our legal system will treat this.
[...] Bayanihan Blog Network: It will be interesting to see what laws the authorities will cite if and when they charge anyone. [...]
[...] Have you heard what happened to boybastos.com? [...]
freedom of expression is not absolute. He should hire a good lawyer. Here is a scholarly blog entry on freedom of expression and boybastos.com http://thewarriorlawyer.com/2007/09/09/freedom-of-expression-boybastoscom/
[...] Boy Bastos Under the Scrutiny of Philippine Authorities [...]
[...] It’s always good to see the Philippine Government cracking down on pornography thanks to Rico at BBN: The Bayanhinan Blog Network for reporting the latest on the Boy Bastos scandal… [...]
[...] The arrest of Mark Verzo of boybastos.com may have moral and some legal merits, but I believe it is primarily Loren Legarda grandstanding. No, she will never again win a position higher than that of a senator, and it was all her fault. But more importantly, the arrest paints a despondent picture of our legal and political systems. Without properly citing violated laws or establishing a solid case, they made a dubious arrest and seized personal property. It’s just one of two things: the powers–that–be are power–trippin’, or they’re simply too ignorant how the world wide web (and online advertising) works. They should attend blogger EBs for a better understanding of things. Or maybe not, but you know what I mean. Seriously, an afternoon or dinner with a reasonably geeky fellow, not necessarily a stringent blogger, can teach them a thing or two on matters concerning the web and the internet community as a whole. (Ahem, ahem.) [...]
mister: Maybe Mark changed the registry info after he found out about Sen. Legarda’s call?
SexyMom: That’s why I think this issue is very important for Filipinos online. Maybe important precedents will be set if things go to court?
noemi: Ah, it was only a matter of time before one of us posted a legally-based perspective of the issue. Thanks for the link!
[...] Boy Bastos Under the Scrutiny of Philippine Authorities [...]
wala bang support kay boy bastos? petition for him - Mark Verzo?
let us see how it is going to be, ANO BA ANG BATAS SA PILIPINAS?, if mark guilty, dapat all of search engine eh pasara din, kagaya ng yahoo.com.yehey.com.google.com. pero sa tingin ko d kaya nila gawin yun kasi malalaking tao na yun eh, but mark kaya nila kasi isang hamak na webmaster at blogger, let’s wait for the HATOL NG BATAS NATIN.
Junelle: Kung gusto mo talaga yan—my “support” for Mark goes as far as hoping that the authorities use any applicable laws against him consistently, and not suddenly come up with last minute approaches—you can always set up a petition on your blog.
virgin: If we disregard any speculation over any selfish agendas on the part of the authorities, then they have the pornographic nature of boybastos.com to cite as a reason. Sa tingin ko ung mga search engines ay di naman nagpropromote ng porn.
Pero yun nga, may jurisdiction ba talaga ang mga Philippine authorities over a website who’s servers are apparently based in the US? Let’s see what else The Warrior Lawyer (the link’s in Noemi’s comment) has to say…
marami natakot kasi baka makita nila sarili sa sharing vedio. Small time lang yan. Dapat pagtuunan pansin ni Loren yung corruption mas marami nawawala sa pondo ng gobyerno.
[...] original post on boy bastos being shut down is just part of the interesting discussion over the whole [...]
[...] Boy Bastos Under the Scrutiny of Philippine Authorities [...]
[...] policies so easy! It was Loren Legarda’s Boy Bastos press release that clued me in to Mark Verzo’s legal problems. Filed: The Filipino Web « What’s Up at the [...]
[...] or not the recent Boy Bastos controversy served as an inspiration (SPICe only cites the EFF), it will be interesting to see what dirt The [...]
oo mali nga cya! pero kung iniicip lng nila kung gaano karaming mga tao napapasaya ng site n un ewan ko na lng! hehehe
pwo syang naman! paborito ko pa naman mag browse na website nia!
…Another reason why this country sucks !!! Its government is all about bullshit ! What the hell? Why is Legarda acting as if this action could actually stop all these things that she prevents to happen? What about the other porn sites??? Her people can always check them out and do whatever. If she can arrest this man then she should manage to arrest all the other porn sites !! Its not like it could change the Filipinos !! Legarda….YOU SHOULD FACE REALITY AND STOP PLAYING IT TOO CLEAN !! If you wanna show off with your political “action” to grab attention then think of something else not shallow !!!
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