Defamation in the Age of the Internet: The Modern Day Soapbox

The rapid expansion of the internet coupled with the surging popularity of social networking services like Facebook and Twitter has created a situation where everyone is a potential publisher, including those unfamiliar with defamation law. A reputation can be destroyed with the click of a mouse, an ill-timed tweet or an anonymous email.

How are the courts treating internet defamation matters? The need to balance privacy rights with disclosure and other issues such as jurisdiction, reach and freedom of speech all come into play when courts consider these cases.

Bryan Baynham, QC and Daniel Reid, both members of the Commercial Litigation group at Harper Grey LLP researched and wrote the attached paper on internet-based defamation. Readers are welcome to contact either of them with any questions.

Read the paper here.