In court rulings by an Indiana Superior Court, the operators of the websites for The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Business Journal and WRTV were ordered to turn over information that could be used to identify people who posted as anonymous commentators involved in a local defamation case.

This case is not dissimilar to a growing number of similar situations throughout the country where the courts are demanding that media outlets provide internet protocol addresses for commenters that post anonymously so that they may be prosecuted for the words they choose.

This is part of a disturbing trend that the free and honest nature of the internet is rapidly diminishing, particularly if posters cannot speak their mind without fearing reprisal from law enforcement or the courts. If this assault on free speech is allowed to continue unchecked, it could mean the death knell for true discourse that aims to affect a change in society.