News
State investigates Dorm Angels Web site
Published: Aug 29, 2004 - 04:33 AM
The state Office of the Attorney General is investigating a Seattle-based adult Web site that touts nude models as being University of Washington students and includes about 100 photos taken in the school's library and at recognizable outdoor locations on campus.
Created in 2001, the site, Dorm Angels, features about 50 current and former female students who say they are from UW, as well as other Northwest colleges. Other images and videos, some depicting sex acts, are billed as being taken in UW dorm rooms.
Created in 2001, the site, Dorm Angels, features about 50 current and former female students who say they are from UW, as well as other Northwest colleges. Other images and videos, some depicting sex acts, are billed as being taken in UW dorm rooms.
A UW spokesman said the attorney general's office is looking into a range of civil violations, including trademark infringements, possibly committed by the Web site's owners. He provided no further details about the focus, duration and possible outcomes of the inquiry. Lawyers working the case were unavailable for comment.
In a News Tribune story in June, UW officials said they knew little about the 3-year-old site, which had been featured in the school's student newspaper in March. Administrators said they had decided not to view it, saying there was little or nothing the school could do about it. Officials also said they were reluctant to challenge the free-speech rights afforded the Web site and its models.
The News Tribune story included rebukes of the inaction by legislators overseeing higher education.
The article also cited examples of other universities that had investigated pornography produced on their campus, in some cases taking legal or disciplinary action against those involved.
The story spurred the school to ask the attorney general's office to scrutinize Dorm Angels, said Bob Roseth, a UW spokesman.
"Questions did arise during the course of the conversation as to whether there's been any violation of the law," he said.
Brett Jennings, a 25-year-old UW business school graduate, founded Dorm Angels while a junior at the school. He declined to comment on the attorney general's action, saying in an e-mail that he was not aware of it.
He said the site will cooperate if the state finds it's breaking the law.
"I'm not aware of any laws we are currently breaking, but if they bring something to our attention, we'll do what the law requires," Jennings said in the e-mail.
Jay Patrick: jaywillpatrick@yahoo.com
Article courtesy of http://www.tribnet.com
In a News Tribune story in June, UW officials said they knew little about the 3-year-old site, which had been featured in the school's student newspaper in March. Administrators said they had decided not to view it, saying there was little or nothing the school could do about it. Officials also said they were reluctant to challenge the free-speech rights afforded the Web site and its models.
The News Tribune story included rebukes of the inaction by legislators overseeing higher education.
The article also cited examples of other universities that had investigated pornography produced on their campus, in some cases taking legal or disciplinary action against those involved.
The story spurred the school to ask the attorney general's office to scrutinize Dorm Angels, said Bob Roseth, a UW spokesman.
"Questions did arise during the course of the conversation as to whether there's been any violation of the law," he said.
Brett Jennings, a 25-year-old UW business school graduate, founded Dorm Angels while a junior at the school. He declined to comment on the attorney general's action, saying in an e-mail that he was not aware of it.
He said the site will cooperate if the state finds it's breaking the law.
"I'm not aware of any laws we are currently breaking, but if they bring something to our attention, we'll do what the law requires," Jennings said in the e-mail.
Jay Patrick: jaywillpatrick@yahoo.com
Article courtesy of http://www.tribnet.com
