A leading law firm has warned web site owners that they could face the full force of the libel laws unless they police their sites properly.
Laurie Heizler, intellectual property partner at Leamington-based Wright Hassall LLP, believes there is a common misconception that it is possible to ‘get away with it’ if something unlawful appears on the web.
But he has warned everyone from internet service providers to bloggers that they could end up in the middle of a libel case if words are not chosen carefully.
Heizler, of the 200-strong firm, is citing a case involving baby expert Gina Ford and the www.mumsnet.com website. Ford claims that hostile comments on the site about her personally are libellous because they attack her character and reputation.
She has called for the site to be disabled or have significant threads from the chat page removed. But Mumsnet claim that they should not be responsible for policing material posted on the site.
Heizler says, though, that Ford could sue for libel if those steps are not taken.
He said: “Plenty of examples exist of damages awards and financial settlements following internet libels.
“Injunctions can be granted even against anonymous individuals who publish unlawful material and orders can be made by the court to compel the internet service provider to disclose details of the names of individuals.
“It’s more difficult to attach liability to an ISP if it can show that it did not know anything about the defamatory material and did not facilitate its posting.
“But it is absolutely crucial that individuals and companies understand that they are not going to get away with libel just because it is on the net.
“The law surrounding libel and defamation are just as appropriate for the net as it is print.”
