Are Bloggers Liable for Comment Libel?
Imagine, you arrive at work, check your blog and discover a new comment. It reads, “Brian Shoff is a dangerous criminal.” You don’t know if it’s true, but approve the comment anyway. After all, blogging is all about hearing everyone’s opinion, right?
Time passes and one day you get a letter from an attorney. It details that the plaintiff, Brian Shoff, is suing you for libel. It further explains that the lawsuit stems from Brian Shoff losing consideration for a position with a prestigious employer because of the defaming comment on your blog.
Ted Byrne, Editor / Economist for Business2Business Publications, asked about this last Geek Camp. “Are bloggers liable for comment libel?”
I’m not a lawyer and this post should not be considered legal advice. However, I did so some research and discovered Section 230, a surviving piece of the Telecommunications Decency Act of 1996 that can help protect you from situations like the one above.
Here is how it works …







