Getting sued for what you say on a messageboard

[rounser]

If Billy states "I think that Bob is a big poo poo head" then that is not slanderous or libelous, because it is an opinion.

If Billy states (for example purposes only) "Bob is a convicted felon who engages in unnatural acts with farm animals" then that is slanderous or libelous if untrue because it is couched as a statement of fact.

Ha! So there's legal obligation to couch your opinions in "I think that...", "In my opinion...", "As I understand it...." etc. Who would have thought that it's a good habit to get into not only for diplomatic purposes, but to ensure you don't get sued for defamation!

(This assumes that the law will recognise the "IMO" and "IME" abbreviations for what they are on the net, and not get anal about the meaning of sentences including such shortcuts.)

 

[ColonelHardisson]

We just have to remember that our freedom ends where it infringes upon the rights of others. The debate will always be ongoing, which is a good thing. As long as debate continues, the system remains alive and adaptable.

 

[adndgamer]

The problem we have in America is that the vast majority of us are too lazy to even do something as simple as vote (this isn't a knock at you, adndgamer; just an observation in general). The way I like to think of it is like this: it's our house. We aren't renting. If something is screwed up, it's our personal responsibility to fix it - no one else is gonna do it for us.

I agree with you. But, I think that a good part of what's wrong is that lots and lots of people don't know about, or don't understand what's happening. And judges can't always be counted on to be technically literate and understand the full effects of what they're doing.

An article from "The Onion" a few weeks back was titled, "Americans Would Be Outraged If They Understood the Enron Collapse." I think this rings very true, not only in the Enron case, but in the case of the SSSCA and related cases. They're not known about by many. The only people that really know about lots of this stuff as far as I can tell is the geek population.

I just hope that nothing like the SSSCA and like items ever pass.

 

[Ds Da Man]

So, moral of the story is to always start a sentence with "In my opinion", correct?

 

[adndgamer]

Ack. I'm starting to talk about politics-related stuff. Icky bad. I hate politics, or rather, I hate talking about them.

I'm going to shut up now.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

So, moral of the story is to always start a sentence with "In my opinion", correct?

Sigh. I expect you're correct, to some extent. That stinks, because all that means is that it'll become another meaningless phrase, sorta like how people address total strangers as "Dear So-and-so" at the beginning of letters. Or something like that. Maybe it's closer to Chairman Kaga's "If memory serves me correctly..." intro to his opening statement on Iron Chef.

 

[PenguinKing]

The MPAA case is a bit more complicated than that - you see, thanks to some recent federal legislation, it's actually against the law to provide information on how to circumvent electronic copy-protection.

So...

"To record mp3s from a copy-protected CD, simply purchase a standard RCA-type cable with two male ends from any electronics store, and use it to plug the headphone-out of a portable CD player into the microphone-in of a computer's soundcard. Use any freeware WAV recorder to capture the microphone input, and convert to mp3 format."

Technically, I've just committed a federal offense by posting that blurb.

So much for free speech, eh?

- Sir Bob.

P.S. Nih!

 

[rounser]

So much for free speech, eh?

From the people that brought you plaintext-as-munitions, I don't find it surprising in the least.

EDIT: I wouldn't be surprised if "munitions" is one of the words Echelon homes in on. Hello spooks, if you're reading!

 

[Axiomatic Unicorn]

In My Opinion:




Seriously, as a complete supporter of Free Speech, I think that the biggest threat to Free Speech is not the people who want to control it, but the people who want to abuse it. You can say anything you want, but you must accept responsibility for the consequences. Even if it is "just your opinion".

If you think simply stating your opinion should always be fair, consider if the shoe was on the other foot. What if someone stated their opinion in such a way as to cost you business. Either by losing clients to your business or causing you to lose your job. I think most people in this position would find it hard to see that simply stating an opinion is harmless freedom of expression.

If the other person can support that their statements were reasonable, then you have no complaint coming. But if they have harmed you, you may have a case for slander.

 

[Axiomatic Unicorn]

So much for free speech, eh?

Just for reference, if I posted your credit card numbers, Social Security Number, Mother's Maiden Name, Bank account info, etc...

Would that be cover under free speech?

Who can I help steal from and who can I not?