Tanner Friedman v. Doe [1]

TFSC, LLC, a public relations firms doing business as Tanner Friedman, is suing an unknown Twitter user in a Detroit federal district court seeking injunctive relief and damages arising out of his use of the Twitter account "tannerfriedman."  Tanner Friedman, in its complaint [2], alleges that "tannerfriedman" posted "false and defamatory statement[s] regarding Tanner Friedman on the Twitter website using the hijacked name."  (Compl. [2] ¶ 14.)  Tanner Friedman also alleges that "tannerfriedman" posted tweets by legitimate Tanner Friedman employees to "mislead Twitter users that it was Plaintiff who was posting these tweets and to impugn its reputation."  (Compl. ¶ 17.). 

Besides defamation, the complaint includes claims for violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030 [3]), unfair competiton under federal and state law, trademark infringement under federal and state law, cyberpiracy, and intentional interference with contractual or business relations.

After filing suit, Tanner Friedman moved [4] the court for permission to subpoena [5] Twitter for identifying information about the unknown user.  The court granted [6] the motion, which was unopposed. According to The Detroit News [7], John Doe was traced to a computer at a rival firm. 

According to its blog [8], this tweet [9], and CBS-affiliated WWJ Newsradio [10], Tanner Friedman has now gained possession of the "tannerfriedman" Twitter alias.