Web site hits back at copyright claims

NEWS Jim Robinson, owner of Freerepublic.com, has hit back at claims that his Web site is violating copyright laws by copying whole stories from online newspapers. Robinson told Silicon.com that he is operating within his legal rights. "We are simply one huge town hall meeting where we pass round copies of news reports... for discussion purposes. We just happen to be doing it on an electronic bulletin board because it allows us the luxury of communicating with hundreds of thousands of people in real time anywhere in the globe." Silicon.com reported earlier today that the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times are suing Robinson, and that the UK-based Electronic Telegraph is consulting its lawyers. Robinson insisted Freerepublic.com is not a commercial site.