"This person inserted computer code in the text of their post, and that code pulled the image from another Web site," said Randy Rodgers, electronic media director for the Telegraph Herald.

The picture was posted to the site 73 times in seven minutes, and at least 10 of them went through (the others were blocked by a filter).

An hour later, the Herald had to proceed to the removal of all comments from the website and officials said the service will be restarted after new protections are established.

As the police began an investigation, The Telegraph Herald was served a subpoena to provide data about the abusive commenter.

According to Rodgers, automated filters and “Suggest Removal” buttons usually work effectively. "But some users do find ways around them, so it's a constant cat-and-mouse game," said Rodgers.

This case highlights the debate as to how newspapers can monitor comments, which can be both beneficial and damaging. Here’s how some of the top US newspapers deal with comments, and here’s a discussion about legal implications when allowing reader comments.

The method used by the commenter also underlines the increased needs for digital protections.

Source: Telegraph Herald through Poynter Institute