News of interest to bloggers today that a Victorian man has settled a defamation action for $20,000 plus $10,000 costs. The man admitted to making comments on an online forum using a nom de plume. The aggrieved party's lawyer was able to track the man's identity. Two other men are currently facing action on similar grounds.
The naive assumption that the internet provides anonymity has been exploded!
If you blog, or contribute to forums, your new motto should be "Would I say it to their face? in public?" If the answer is no, save yourself grief and either rephrase your comment or simply don't write it.
Anyone who suggests that freedom of expression is being assaulted needs to think long and hard. Truth is a defence against defamation, but baseless slander isn't.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Bloggers beware!
The naive assumption that the internet provides anonymity has been exploded!
If you blog, or contribute to forums, your new motto should be "Would I say it to their face? in public?" If the answer is no, save yourself grief and either rephrase your comment or simply don't write it.
Anyone who suggests that freedom of expression is being assaulted needs to think long and hard. Truth is a defence against defamation, but baseless slander isn't.
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