Something I’ve been talking about for awhile is how libel and slander lawsuits are going to make their way into the blogosphere. Many bloggers believe that just because they have a forum, they can say anything they want about anybody. Well, they’re wrong – and many of them are going to learn the hard way when they get hit with lawsuits. Mathew Ingram covers the emerging problem in the Globe & Mail, citing a few cases in Canada that have popped up in recent months. It really is a must-read for anyone who bloggers with a strong voice.
Just to be clear, here’s one definition of libel:
An untruthful statement about a person, published in writing or through broadcast media, that injures the person’s reputation or standing in the community. Because libel is a tort (a civil wrong), the injured person can bring a lawsuit against the person who made the false statement. Libel is a form of defamation , as is slander (an untruthful statement that is spoken, but not published in writing or broadcast through the media).
and here’s a defamation of slander.
A type of defamation. Slander is an untruthful oral (spoken) statement about a person that harms the person’s reputation or standing in the community. Because slander is a tort (a civil wrong), the injured person can bring a lawsuit against the person who made the false statement. If the statement is made via broadcast media — for example, over the radio or on TV — it is considered libel, rather than slander, because the statement has the potential to reach a very wide audience.
Personally, I think the blosphere has been fairly libel and slander-free so far because the medium is just starting to emerge, and everyone’s trying to figure out the rules of conduct. But I think this will change quickly has blogs have more influence and bloggers gain more prominence and profile. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Technorati Tags: libel, slander
