WebProNews

Earthlink Inc. has been cleared of any wrong doing in US District Court after Associated Bank brought suit against the Internet provider over it's ScamBlocker toolbar listed the bank's website as potentially fraudulent.

The ScamBlocker toolbar contain a list of potentially fraudulent websites in an effort to warn customers of phishing scams. AssociatedBank.com was incorrectly tagged as one of these phising sites.

Wisconsin-based Associated Bank filed suit in April of this year against Earthlink citing losses associated with customers being redirected away from the website.

US District Judge John C. Shabaz ruled in a summary judgment that Earthlink was not liable for the damages as the ScamBlocker toolbar list was provided by a third party vendor, who is ultimately responsible for the error.

Citing the Communications Decency Act of 1996 which states, ""[n]o provider ...of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider," the judge ruled in favor of Earthlink.

Cnet has more coverage here.

Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.