The Internet's Most Hated Man, The Strange Story of Michael Crook
Fox News sniffs out a story
Crook first gained notoriety when his website "ForsakeTheTroops.com" stated that American soldiers in Iraq deserved to die for enlisting. His site further described the soldiers as overpaid "pukes" and "scumbags". It came as no surprise when Crook's controversial views earned him an interview on the Fox News Network show, Hannity and Colmes.
Harassing bloggers
After Crook's Fox News appearance, critical bloggers began posting screen caps and video excerpts from the show. Crook then sent repeated DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) takedown notices to these bloggers, claiming copyright infringement. Of course, the copyright wasn't owned by Michael Crook at all. It was owned by Fox News.
The Craigslist "sting"
Crook's next infuriating online scheme involved a sex predator "sting" on the "casual encounter" classifieds section of Craigslist. He ran personal ads, posing as "Melissa", an 18-year-old female Las Vegas college student wanting to party with a "cool guy" and "trade pics." The responders to his bogus ads sent photos and private information, including real names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Some respondents even sent photos of their private parts.
After collecting all the information, Michael Crook published all responses, photos, and other private information on his website, "craigslist-pervert.org".
When confronted, Crook compared his craigslist site to Dateline's televised pedophile stings. Of course, unlike Dateline, Crook's decoy "Melissa" was 18, within the legal age of consent.
A side note: Michael Crook isn't an original. His craigslist caper was actually a copycat "sting" first done by another "hated" Internet personality, Jason Fortuny. Unlike Crook, Fortuny had the good sense not to launch follow-up harassments of his targets.
A specific case
According to The Las Vegas Sun, one of Crook's targets was a married man who had sent "Melissa" his photograph and phone number. After additional conversations with "Melissa", the man also revealed his address and the name of his employer. Crook then called his wife, the CEO of the company he worked for, and several corporate clients.
This married man was just one of several targets who Crook had followed-up with harassment beyond the Internet.
The apology
In 2007, Michael Crook settled a lawsuit filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on behalf of the bloggers who had been sent harassing takedown notices. As part of his settlement, Crook posted a video, publicly apologizing "to all bloggers, webmasters, and other individuals."
And, if you do a Google search, you'll see that Michael Crook is still one of the Internet's most hated individuals.
SOURCES:
"The Internet's Most Wanted", Nick Douglas, Valleywag, URL: (http://valleywag.com/tech/griefers/internets-most-wanted-a-rogues-gallery-231320.php)
http://men.style.com/details/features/full?id=content_5288
"On the Internet, Melissa might be a Crook", Abigail Goldman, Las Vegas, URL: (http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2006/oct/15/56678449.html)
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/diehl_v_crook/stipulation_of_dismissal.pdf
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_11.php#004976
EFF and Ten Zen Monkeys vs. Michael Crook", Jeff Diehl, 10 Zen Monkeys, URL: (http://10zenmonkeys.com/2006/11/01/eff-crook-dmca-lawsuit/)
"Unhinged scumbag of the year", Michelle Malkin, URL: (http://michellemalkin.com/2005/12/18/unhinged-scumbag-of-the-year/)
Published by Elliot Feldman
I'm a veteran television writer (Match Game, Hollywood Squares) and cartoonist (Los Angeles Reader) I've also written for online versions of Jeopardy and Trivial Pursuit. View profile
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20 Comments
Post a CommentMichael Crook has written a blog talking #$%$ about my best friend who gave her precious life to save her unborn baby. Jenni Lake had cancer for a while and during chemo treatments, found out she was pregnant. Instead of giving up the baby, she stopped chemo so she could have a healhy baby. Personally, I see her as a hero. She gave her life for someone she knew she would never know. After havng her baby, Jenni told told the doctor "I did what I needed to do". She was ready for God to take her. The day she died was the first day the sun had shone in weeks. Just for her. Her family has been having a hard time ever since. But this Michael freak shows no mercy. All he has to say was that she gave birth without being married. I'm not sure but from what I know, her family didn't have the money to give her a marraige and prepare for a baby at the same time. I know that if she had gotten healthier after giving birth, she would have planned the wedding immediately. I hope that Michael realizes the hurt and pain he has caused for her family and friends and even people who didn't know her personally. I hope he understands one day that Karma really is a #$%$ and will get to him eventually.
this dude owns a "craigs-list pervert" site yet got a 15 year pregnant
He now uses his time to attack and harrass teenage celebrities and their fans on Twitter. He randomly attacked Demi Lovato by saying that her being bipolar makes her a psycho. He even goes as far as to say he will "dance on her grave". He claims that she should kill herself and her fans should too. Michael Crook is a sick man who should not be allowed online.
he is currently in trolling a fb page of a woman who was arrested this week of putting her newborn baby in a trash can...a true internet troll.
He has struck again. I'm not quite sure what he gets out of this, or why he has made this his mission. There was a tragic accident in Griswold CT, in which 4 teenagers were killed, one critically injured. He found the facebook pages and has been harassing the friends and family of the teens, writing a blog saying 'they deserved'.
The Town of Griswold will not take this. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/I-will-piss-on-Michael-Crooks-grave-when-he-dies/406459395588?v=wall His phone numbers and addresses were uncovered and posted. Do what you like with them.
I would like to run into the Michael,,,,,,my son and a friend were killed in a car accident and nhe has been bashing them. If anyone know how I can find him,please help me, He won't be able to afford a computer once I am through sueing him Email me at Coxen81215@aol.com
karma is a bitch.
Who is this guy? He has no right to jump to conclusions on something that happened out of his State or matter of fact something that he has no right sticking his nose into. I know for a fact he doesn't live in Harnett County, NC because if so someone would have hurt him by now for saying things about Ashley Moore. Its bad enough that Dillon has to live the rest of his life knowing that the person he loved died beside him and both families are dealing with the lose and its even more sader that Ashley's baby has to grow up without its mother. So why whoever you are make even more trouble and say things that you know absolutely nothing about. You need to keep your nose in your own state!
hi. does anybody know his adress
if u want his adress i got it... e mail me
tyreekelly609@aim.com an ill send it to u
i think he change his number abut u still got his adress