Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Facebook Bullying Lawsuit Could Net $3 Million
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 3, 2009
Modified Mar 3, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 3, 2009
Modified Mar 3, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A freshman at SUNY Albany is suing four former Long Island high school classmates, their parents and Facebook for $3 million for humiliating her in a password-protected page on the social-networking site. Denise Finkel, who graduated from Oceanside High School last year, filed the lawsuit in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, accusing the former classmates of holding her up to "public hatred, ridicule and disgrace" in a private Facebook forum. Though the nasty comments did not identify Finkel by name, her attorney Mark Altschul insists everyone knew exactly who the bullies were talking about when they gossiped about an unidentified teen who supposedly had AIDS and a penchant for bestiality. Altschul tells Newsday, "She had a very difficult time in high school." If Finkel wins, a class-action lawsuit by everyone who ever attended high school could cost the Internet trillions.
Tagged
bullying
lawsuit
long island
suing
SUNY Albany
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
News
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .