Online Defamation
What Is Defamation?
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. Online defamation is the publication of such statements made on any Internet based media including blogs, forums, websites, and even social networking websites. While many Internet users believe that they are free to say and do as they like while on the Internet, this is untrue and the same defamation laws and regulations stand for online defamation as they do in any form of media.
If you tweet, blog, tag or post, here are five steps to keep you out of defamation danger:
1 .Know what constitutes defamation. Just as its name suggests, defamation is when you defame another person through harmful statements about another person that you know or should know are false.
-Slander, when such statements are spoken, and libel, when they are written, are forms of defamation.
2) Stick to facts; avoid opinions that could be construed as facts.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it's critical to distinguish the difference between opinion and fact. If you believe a politician lied about his or her campaign finances, for example, but it's not been proven, it's best to precede any verbal or written statements about that belief with the words "in my opinion." It's better yet to keep potentially defamatory thoughts to yourself.
3) No name-calling.
Even if you think the latest celebrity mistress is a home wrecker, name-calling can constitute character assassination. He or she may believe their paramour truly was separated at the time of the affair, in which case the home was already wrecked and your statement is false.
4) Let readers reach their own conclusions.
It's likely that when faced with the facts, the same facts you encountered, many of your
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. Online defamation is the publication of such statements made on any Internet based media including blogs, forums, websites, and even social networking websites. While many Internet users believe that they are free to say and do as they like while on the Internet, this is untrue and the same defamation laws and regulations stand for online defamation as they do in any form of media.
If you tweet, blog, tag or post, here are five steps to keep you out of defamation danger:
1 .Know what constitutes defamation. Just as its name suggests, defamation is when you defame another person through harmful statements about another person that you know or should know are false.
-Slander, when such statements are spoken, and libel, when they are written, are forms of defamation.
2) Stick to facts; avoid opinions that could be construed as facts.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it's critical to distinguish the difference between opinion and fact. If you believe a politician lied about his or her campaign finances, for example, but it's not been proven, it's best to precede any verbal or written statements about that belief with the words "in my opinion." It's better yet to keep potentially defamatory thoughts to yourself.
3) No name-calling.
Even if you think the latest celebrity mistress is a home wrecker, name-calling can constitute character assassination. He or she may believe their paramour truly was separated at the time of the affair, in which case the home was already wrecked and your statement is false.
4) Let readers reach their own conclusions.
It's likely that when faced with the facts, the same facts you encountered, many of your