TECHNOLOGY - Feb. 26, 1996

Protesters Take Their View to Internet: European critics of McDonald’s Corp.’s food and business policies are taking their complaints to the Internet. Earlier this month, they established a McSpotlight World Wide Web page to keep interested parties up-to-date on what has become England’s longest trial: a 20-month-old, $5-million libel action by the restaurant company against two individuals, Helen Steel and Dave Morris. Oak Park, Ill.-based McDonald’s filed the suit after the two, who are unemployed, distributed pamphlets outside a London McDonald’s accusing the company of selling unhealthful food, engaging in abusive labor practices and fostering destruction of the environment. The Web page sponsors say they hope to stimulate debate about what is fair comment and what is libel. McDonald’s British spokesman Mike Love said, “If we see information in the future that is libelous on the Internet, we’ll seek legal advice. This is a gray area now.”