Is it libel or slander on the Internet?

Defamation may involve written statements or spoken defamation online. In general, slander involves spoken statements, while libel is written defamation.

Can a person publish a defamatory article on the Internet?

You can only publish defamatory material if it comes within one of the recognised legal defences. If it doesn’t, the publication will amount to libel and you may have to pay substantial damages. Internet sites are not exempt from any libel laws.

Can a website host be sued for defamation?

But, for better or for worse, a federal law called the Communications Decency Act has specifically exempted website hosts and ISPs from most defamation claims. Let’s look at a couple of examples of the kinds of communications that might amount to online defamation.

Can a website be libellous rather than slanderous?

It used to be thought that defamatory statements on a website would always be libellous rather than slanderous. However, the English courts have taken the view that some internet communications are more akin to speech than the traditional print, and that slander rather than libel should apply to those communications.

Why is it important to know about libel law?

Libel law protects individuals or organisations from unwarranted, mistaken or untruthful attacks on their reputation. A person is libelled if a publication:

Is there a law against defamation on the Internet?

The Bloggers’ FAQ on Online Defamation Law provides an overview of defamation (libel) law, including a discussion of the constitutional and statutory privileges that may protect you. What is defamation?

Is it easy to libel someone on the Internet?

The Sticks And Stones Of Internet Libel: … The Internet makes it relatively easy for anyone to anonymously post negative and untrue comments about your business.

What is the difference between defamation and libel?

Generally, defamation is a false and unprivileged statement of fact that is harmful to someone’s reputation, and published “with fault,” meaning as a result of negligence or malice. State laws often define defamation in specific ways. Libel is a written defamation; slander is a spoken defamation. What are the elements of a defamation claim?

What to do if someone defames your business on the Internet?

The Take-Away You cantake legal action if anonymous Internet posters defame your business on the Internet. However, your right to subpoena a website owner to disclose the identity of the Internet posters will be weighed against the Internet posters’ First Amendment right to remain anonymous.