UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums General Off Topic Libel

A guy uses a forum to call someone a liar.
(He's traceable through a valid email address.)

He's not a troublemaker, he's not even trying to be anonymous; he is genuinely aggrieved and very very angry.

From my view point, it looks as though he has valid reasons for his outburst but the recipent of this attack is extremely wealthy and would no-doubt win any legal battle.

My initial thought is protect this poor guy and delete his comments to stop hime getting into trouble.

But that's not free speech!

However if his posts remain he is sure to be sued for libel.

Any thoughts on this very serious issue please?

I'd send him a PM saying what you are saying here.

If he feels he is right (i.e., the other guy really did lie), then the ball is in his court as to whether he wants to make such statements.

My opinion...truly wealthy and successful people don't worry about what is being posted about them on Internet forums and aren't wasting their time suing.

Keep us posted. If the guy really does sue, I'd love to hear about it.

One of my favorite quotes I remember from a Journalism professor was something like: "Anyone can sue anybody else. The real question is can you win."

As for the free speech issue, I love when users try to cry about that. Bottom line, it's your forum. If you don't want the mess on your site, it's your call if you want to delete it.

PM sent - reply received.

The person knows my feelings on free speech, thanks me for my concern but has documentation to back up their allegation.

However, one point is a little weak...


Hmmm - I don't want this youngster to get into trouble.




Actually this happened to me about 6-7 years ago on UBB Classic.

I stored the libelous files on a hidden forum (they were libelous and very unpleasant) along with the posters anonymous IP and email address.

I received a court order to reveal all.
Which in that case I was happy to do.

They (a very powerfull 'body') forced the ISP to provide their logs and successfully persued the litigant.

I wonder how many of you have been through this?
Is the website responsible for allowing the libelous allegation to be published?

The government guarantees free speech, you do not. You could edit all of his posts to say "I wear panties so I can feel pretty" and ban him. It's your site.

My thoughts are this baring in mind my community is local to where i live.

And i hate the "Free Speech" members try to pull.
If they truly want free speech on my community based forums they can go and get there own and pay the bills with it too.


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I think the website has a moral responsibility there once informed of it. I would personally remove it all and asked them both to take it up else where. Leaving it on your forums only leads to fuelling the fire. And even with out it being black and white do you really want to be dragged into something you didn't start.


driv - Its not your fight mate.
I can understand you wanting to help the younger person.
But get it off your forums and hopfully it will move on.

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I have some GIT wanting to do me for copyright at the moment
were a member hot linked to a image. I'm waiting until the
7th oct as that's my dead line to cough up ... ( I'm not ).

My advice - just clear up the mess and hope it goes away.
Let us know what happens

Free speech? Since when did you become the U.S. Government? Ian is right.

Second Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

You're not congress, you're not passing a law. Delete the post and tell them to take their fight to a more appropriate place.

Mark is from the UK, law may be a little different over there - afterall their parliament still wears those wigs and try to look serious at the same time

Unless you were talking to someone else

good point, AA. I didn't notice the Essex, UK under his name. Ooops!

If I put on a wig can I sit and hit a javel and make insane laws? I'll even put on one of those girly robes they wear ...

javel ?

hrm.. even google turned me down on that one..

I'm confused. I thought that things said on an internet forum were very difficult, if not impossible to prosecute on. I guess I really need to brush up on my internet law.

Thanks for all the input guys.

Well, I believe that free speech should be defended to the utmost.

But in the interest of defending a young hot-head. I think the post will be deleted.

Thanks again.

BTW -> javel = gavel

i figured that much, given the context. and it's getting easier and easier to do the on-the-fly giz-UNiT translation as time goes by

i think Giz missed the cartoons on ABC growing up, where they had neat little tunes like 'conjunction, conjunction.. what's your function?' and more

Who had luxuries of cartoons with an abusive sports-ridden, up at 5am, stepfather...

Well judging from your picture in the Gallery I'd say he didn't have THAT big an impact on you for Sports, unless it was a drinking game

Hey. Drinking is a sport

And in my case, an extreme sport...