Defamation may be classified as either libel (written defamation) or slander (verbal defamation), with the former being the more common. There is libel when a defamatory comment is made online or via social media, such as Facebook or Linkedin, and includes the written (or “posted”) word.
The Issue of Online Libel and Embarrassment
The internet and social media are unquestionably beneficial to individuals and society as a whole, but they also serve as a particularly fertile environment for false and defamatory claims. The internet, many people have discovered (to their chagrin), enables individuals to express themselves much too freely.
It’s easy for someone to purposefully or mistakenly publish anything that might be seen as defamatory on the internet. وحدة مكافحة الجرائم الإلكترونية is very common nowadays, you should be careful while surfing online.
Which State’s Constitutional Laws Apply Here? Are There Any Courts Where I Can File a Lawsuit?
A lot will depend on where you reside, where the alleged defamer lives, and whether or not the defamer has had any interaction with your state. A skilled attorney should be contacted immediately if you believe that your reputation has been tarnished online. Your legal choices and the best course of action will be discussed. If you are concerned about your الجرائم الإلكترونية, we can help you out.
Is it possible to sue an ISP?
You may use the “deep pockets” argument to sue the website’s host or internet service provider (ISP) if the statement on the website is defamatory.
Defendants like internet service providers (ISPs) and website hosts may have greater financial resources than anonymous bloggers who make defamatory statements about you. A federal statute known as the Communications Decency Act, however, exempts website hosts and Internet service providers from most defamation charges, for better or worse.
Examples of Defamation in the Digital Age
Let’s take a look at a few instances of messages that might be considered defamatory in nature.
For the sake of argument, assume you run a blog and reported two weeks ago that John Smith had assaulted his wife. If this assertion is false, it is defamatory (remember that truth is an absolute defence against defamation). This assertion, if untrue, is defamatory in every aspect.
Are People’s Opinions Safe?
However, it’s important to note certain caveats to this assertion. Say you wrote, “I believe John Smith struck his wife two weeks ago.” Let’s say that. Opinions aren’t factual statements, thus they’re immune to slander lawsuits.
Is this, therefore, a personal opinion? Depending on the situation, words of opinion may be taken as factual. Depending on how well you know John Smith and his wife and why you feel Smith struck his wife, the typical individual may take your assertion as reality.
Finally, just because you express anything as an opinion — “I believe” or “I think” — does not automatically insulate you from a defamation action.
How Should We Respond If a Statement Is Only Partially True?
Here’s an additional illustration of what I mean. Take the example of posting a Facebook status about Mary Johnson being fired from her job because she made a big error and her firm losing an important customer. If this is, in fact, a falsehood, it is likely defamatory in nature.
But what if she did make the error, but the business didn’t lose the customer as a result? How would she feel if her firm really let her go in order to placate the customer? If what you wrote was untrue (at least in part), then it wasn’t defamatory in the end.
