Since this week’s ruling that NightJack, winner of the Orwell Prize’s first political blogging award, could not remain anonymous was announced – summed up  by Paul Bradshaw here –  bloggers, commentators and commenters have typed furiously (a few the links at the end of this post). Has the Times been hypocritical? What are the implications for those working and writing about life in the public sector? Should one be able to protect one’s identity as a blogger… or journalist?

The only thing Journalism.co.uk will add is this insight into the Times’ investigative process of the case, as provided by the Times:

• ‘Ruling on NightJack author Richard Horton kills blogger anonymity’ by Frances Gibb, 17/06/09

“The action arose after Patrick Foster, a Times journalist, identified the NightJack blogger ‘by a process of deduction and detective work, mainly using information on the internet,’ the judge said.”

• ‘Writer advised on how to evade long arm of the law’ by Patrick Foster, 17/06/09

“Mr Horton was adamant that he had taken great pains to keep his identity secret. But on his blog, he also described his visits to a jiu-jitsu club, adding a hyperlink to the website of the organising body for the martial art. Lancashire Constabulary jiu-jitsu club lists only one member who is a detective – Detective Constable Richard Horton.”

Some of the wider discussion:

• Enemies of Reason: ‘Where did I put that cloak of anonymity?’
• Zoe Margolis: ‘Privacy‘
• Ian Reeves: ‘Night Jack: the end of the anonymous blogger?’
• Richard Horton, the Times: ‘My Everyman posts seemed to strike a chord’
• Random Acts of Reality (aka Tom Reynolds): ‘Notes on NightJack’
• Gary Andrews: ‘NightJacking anonymity’
• Gawker: ‘You don’t have the right to anonymity’

Finally, Horton’s Orwell Prize win as reported by Journalism.co.uk in April 2009:

“Anonymous blogger ‘Jack Night’ took the award in the blogging category, for his site NightJack.  In a speech made on his behalf, Jack said the last year had seen blogging become a more important part of the political reporting world. The blogger, who ended his posting after being shortlisted for the award, donated his prize to the Police Dependants’ Trust.”