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Calif. Court Rules Bloggers Can't be Sued for Third Party Postings

By Jeralyn, Section Court Decisions
Posted on Tue Nov 21, 2006 at 11:28:06 AM EST
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In a victory for free speech and a loss for those who may be defamed online, the California Supreme Court has ruled bloggers and Internet providers and bulletin board owners can't be sued for for defamation for writings posted by others on their site.

The bottom line:

"Until Congress chooses to revise the settled law in this area" people who contend they were defamed on the Internet can seek recovery only from the original source of the statement, not from those who re-post it."

The text of the decision is here.

How Appealing has a compilation of news articles discussing the decision.

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    Calif. Court Rules Bloggers Can't be Sued for Third Party Postings | 1 comment (1 topical)

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    i don't really have a problem with this......... (none / 0) (#1)
    by cpinva on Tue Nov 21, 2006 at 12:15:43 PM EST
    since it doesn't really change current law all that much. the owner of an open bulletin board, unlike a publisher, isn't equipped to vet the veracity of all postings made on that board. a web bulletin board is an open forum, newspapers and books aren't.

    it would be completely unrealistic to hold an isp or the owner/moderator of a web based forum to the same legal standards as a publisher.

    it's really kind of a no brainer.

    Calif. Court Rules Bloggers Can't be Sued for Third Party Postings | 1 comment (1 topical)

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