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Original poster

Slagging someone off on the internet

17 replies

Oovavu · 15/01/2009 22:45

Where do you stand legally...

If A has made an anonymous post on a public internet forum, no names, places, dates mentioned and has slagged 'a person' off...

The person is B and B works out it is them being slagged, but to any onlooker it seems unidentifiable.

OP posts:

notreallycutoutforthis · 15/01/2009 22:47

Think there's probably no legal recourse - esp if you need to be B to work out who they're talking about...

whomovedmychocolate · 15/01/2009 22:47

Well it would depend on whether a 'reasonable' person would be able to attribute the comments to the person slagged off. There is no real anonymity on the Internet - everyone is still accountable.

chegirl · 15/01/2009 22:48

Couldnt be certain but I would have thought not much you could do?

Personally I have been on both sides of this one. If I discuss someone its really to vent a bit and not to 'out' them. When she does it to me she just wants to slag me off!

LadyMuck · 15/01/2009 22:48

Well if it is unidentifiable then B can't have incurred any damage from what was said?

fryalot · 15/01/2009 22:49

If it was on a site (like this one, I believe) that does not allow personal attacks then B could report the post as a personal attack and have it removed.

I wouldn't have thought there was any other option though.

edam · 15/01/2009 22:50

It's the last clause that is the key here. Is B identifiable?

You can sue for online defamation BUT you'd have to show that you had suffered damage or were likely to suffer damage and that people would know it was you. And it's bloody expensive. Libel is a game for the rich.

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 15/01/2009 22:53

Isn't it called defamation or something?

I think you'd have to prove you had lost something or been damaged in some way. If you are totally unidentifiable to anyone else and you only THINK it's you but you don't even know for sure, I'm not sure where you'd stand, tbh.

If it's serious though, maybe get legal advice

Original poster

Oovavu · 15/01/2009 23:05

It would be only identifiable by the person B themselves but, once identified, then reported on.

Would it necessarily matter if the 'slagging off' could be proven as being true, rather than just an unfounded claim? This slagging off, though, would have also caused much anger and upset for B.

OP posts:

Leo9 · 15/01/2009 23:35

I would have thought it would make a huge difference if it were true! Big difference between having B's own actions discussed on line and A making malicious unfounded allegations about B on line, surely.

If the stuff about B is true I think B needs to stop thinking about legal stuff and just accept that actions have consequences? If I am reading this aright?

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 16/01/2009 07:39

Good point leo! I was simply assuming it was false, but yes, if what they are saying is true and they can prove it, I suppose that makes a world of difference!

PortAndLemon · 16/01/2009 08:09

If B isn't identifiable from the statement, then there wouldn't be anything B could do about it. If B is identifiable and the statement is false and the statement would tend to damage B's reputation in the eyes of a reasonable person (no need to prove actual damage) then B has a case for libel. But bringing a case for libel is very expensive. If B complains to the board where the comment is hosted, or their ISP, B may be successful in getting the comment removed (board and ISP are less likely to be interested in whether or not it's true) but, again, if B isn't identifiable then that's less likely to succeed.

psychomum5 · 16/01/2009 08:15

depends on proof and whether anyone else could identify said slaggee (is that a word?).

it is would be very hard I would have thought......not that that would make the anger any less for the slaggee.

might be worthy of, rather than reporting the post and it be removed, printing out the stuff, gathering evidence if they continue, and then persuing it. especially if it continues or goes on in several places...............can then be harrassment rather than 'just slagging off' IYGWIM.

psychomum5 · 16/01/2009 08:15

depends on proof and whether anyone else could identify said slaggee (is that a word?).

it is would be very hard I would have thought......not that that would make the anger any less for the slaggee.

PortAndLemon · 16/01/2009 08:25

"slaggee" much better term than just "B"...

psychomum5 · 16/01/2009 08:27

oooh.....I 'invented' a word.

PortAndLemon · 16/01/2009 08:47

Original poster

Oovavu · 16/01/2009 13:39

lol about La millard pursuing me with writ in hand!

Not this website but due to the nature of the forum, being fairly similar to MN in that it appeals to specific members of the onine community in being a place to gain advice, chat, share ideas and let off steam. B recognised A from posts (which again is why MN seemed a good place to ask this question, remembering what has happened with cod, even though the cases are not alike in other ways), then B searched all of A's posts and didn't like what they read.

Have checked with legal/union bod and A apparently is safe from legal recourse. Problem lies really with B seeing a name describing them as something they object to!

OP posts:

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