A federal judge ruled that plaintiffs who will file a breach of contract lawsuit against the online dating service site, Ashley Madison will have to reveal their identity in the public for the case to continue. The website was sued after hackers exposed users' personal information last year.
According to the Guardian, a number of forty-two plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against Avid Life Media, Ashley Madison's parent company, the April 6 ruling stated. The plaintiffs are sought to compensate them for the leakage, including the lack of security on the users' information and failed "full delete removal" service. They are also suing the site for creating female poser accounts to lure male customers, the ruling stated.
Judge John A Ross, a district court judge in Missouri, where the case is set to be heard, told the 42 plaintiffs, to reveal their identities, even though, their involvement in an online site that catered to people looking for extramarital affairs would be an embarrassment.
The plaintiffs used "John Doe" as the judge let them file the legal complaint anonymously for temporary. Their representing lawyers, in February, filed a motion, requesting to make their anonymity permanent for the case, CNN Money reported.
The motion stated, plaintiffs wished to remain anonymous, in order to "to reduce the risk of potentially catastrophic personal and professional consequences that could befall them and their families."
However, the motion was rejected by Court judge Ross. He stated on the ruling this month that only rape, sexual abuse victims and sensitive topics cases including abortion, AIDS and LGBT issues are allowed to use pseudonyms. The ruling added, plaintiffs must either identify themselves or proceed as class members, who can remain anonymous, New York Times cited.
The "class" for the collective lawsuit has not yet been certified, the ruling noted. There are at least 8 plaintiffs who are publicly named, and a ninth withdraw voluntarily.
