Online Libel, and a former project: onlibel.com

by James Hatch on January 8, 2009

This is interesting, but only in the sense that the power of an online forum for libelous comments to find viewership is based on the ability of said forum to reach the audience it so unrichly deserves. In the case of onlibel.com, the forum was to provide a way for people to argue, and going in, the users know they will see/hear/witness comments that could be libelous.

So, a blogger has started a blog with the intent to comment on the women who inhabit the New York social scene, but specifically one model at this point. She is suing Google and eventually the blogger once she gets the ID.

But the problem I see here is that the blogger is making social commentary, and the level of libel really doesn’t present itself as more than hurt feelings and definitely doesn’t harm her financially. I’m curious where the person got the pictures and why Liskula Cohen became the focus of such commentary.

For more information, visit ArsTechnica.com here (John Timmer reporting).

She doesn’t do her case much good when she responds with the below quote in the NYDailyNews.com(Jose Martinez):

“I’m tall, I’m blond, I’ve been modeling for many years, and people get jealous,” she said. “If I had to deal with everyone who is jealous, I wouldn’t have time to do anything else.”

She obviously has a thick enough skin to know how to walk away from ridicule, the reasonable person test would apply. I’ve heard of people being struck by overzealous camera operators being sued and the judge throwing out the case citing “although the camera operator could be termed a ‘jerk,’ there was no actual harm done.” This will probably go nowhere.

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