Vocal Voices

I read over the weekend that Mums-net has been ordered by the courts to release the real-life IDs of two of its registered posters to a chap planning on taking legal action against them for comments they made.

This follows a similar case a while back relating to the Owls-net forum (Sheffield Wednesday FC) where comments were made that certain people took exception to.

Discuss the implications for free speech (very nicely, and definitely not mentioning by name any person, alive or dead, real or fictitious ...)

Here is a link to a Mumsnet thread about the case.

Sticking with general principles: libel is libel. If the libel takes place on a message board/blog/comments section then the person being libelled has every right to force the site where the libel was committed (published) to reveal the registration details of the perpetrators.

The registration details could, of course, be bogus, but there are ways of identifying where they came from and thus lead to the individuals concerned.

The lines are blurred when you get on the internet. For instance this forum might feel like talking down the pub. But, in fact, it's indexed by google and is visible to hundreds of millions.

Here's the real problem. The difference between libel, slander and having an opinion is not quite that obvious. For instance I could, probably, get away with naming a professional by name and stating that "from what I have read and researched, I, personally, would not want to go to them.

However if I was to research that professional and state "don't go to him he's a butcher who does bad work", without fully substantiating my position, I would be wide open to libel. I might even be in the first case, however as it was only my opinion in a case where I was making a decision, it would be significantly harder to prove libel.

If you re confused with that statement, simple rule. Never, ever, mention a professional by name with a value judgement. Unless he's a footballer...