Where Does Libel Take Place on the Internet?
Anywhere where statements or images are “published” is under scrutiny in terms of libel. This includes email, newsgroups, mailing lists, and the World Wide Web itself. The speed and simplicity of the Internet allows messages to be published instantaneously: • Email can be sent in a few keystrokes and forwarded to many other with the click of a mouse. • Messages in newsgroups that are replied to will often go to everybody in the group rather than just the author of the original message. • Message boards and Internet newsgroups are very rarely anonymous, despite how they may look. All of these features of the Internet make it remarkable easy to publish statements about people and organisations without really thinking through what you are saying or checking any facts you have stated. Unfortunately for some, this cannot be used as a defence against libel in itself.
