Defamation on the Internet

INTRODUCTION

‘Cyber crimes’ is a term that has gained unprecedented popularity in the recent past, thanks to the extent to which cyber crimes have been committed. The advent of the internet has been accompanied by outcomes, good and bad. While the internet provides easy access to any information or person in any part of the world, it is the same advantage which has been misused for gaining undue advantage, in the form of various cyber crimes. One such crime among the plethora of cyber crimes, is the crime of defamation on the internet.

The freedom of expression is a fundamental human right that has been recognized at both the international and the national level. At the international level, the European Convention on Human Rights provides everyone with the right to freedom of expression. The same has been guaranteed by the Indian Constitution also. However, as with other rights, the freedom of expression can never be absolute.[1] More so ever, in current times, with the increasing cases of defamation on the internet. Internet communications may do serious injury to individual and corporate reputations. The ease with which messages can be sent and read on the internet means that the most allegations and defamatory statements can gain widespread currency and acceptance.[2] This calls for serious consideration of the matter and criminalization of the act.

Defamation is dealt with under S.499 of the Indian Penal Code. Owing to S.91 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, all offences under the Indian Penal Code are also applicable to acts of such nature on the internet, thus allowing conviction under S.499 of the Penal Code for cyber defamation. An essential requirement for conviction under defamation is that the defamatory material should be published. This has raised one of the major issues under defamation on the internet. Can e-mails containing defamatory statements be considered as publication? Another issue at hand with respect to defamation on the

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