HALIFAX - A group that promotes the interests of bullied children is looking to intervene in a court case involving a Nova Scotia teen who was allegedly defamed on a bogus Facebook page.
The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling that said the 17-year-old girl can't proceed with her case without revealing her name.
The group BullyingCanada announced today it has applied to the country's top court for intervener status in the case.
The group says the girl's case should proceed and her identity protected because it believes revealing her identity could harm her.
BullyingCanada lawyer Brian Murphy says they want to present evidence about how bullying can affect children and their families -- mentally, physically and emotionally.
The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal previously upheld a Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruling and denied an application for a publication ban on the identities of the complainant and her family.
The Halifax Chronicle Herald and Global TV argued there was insufficient reason for the courts to grant the alleged victim anonymity and challenged a publication ban on the Facebook postings.
But the girl's lawyer has said the media should not be allowed to identify her because it would cause further harm.
The province's top court has said that is the reality of pursuing litigation in Canadian courts, where the open-court principle is enshrined in law.
The girl was 15 when she and her family applied for a court order compelling Internet provider EastLink to reveal the identity of the person who had allegedly set up the fake Facebook profile about her.
