This weblog reached an important milestone yesterday, when, for the first time, we received a letter from the attorney for a local public figure, demanding a correction of something written here.
Fortunately, the lawyer was mistaken. The comments he was complaining about were posted on somebody else's blog.
Whew.
| Posted at 12:48 AM | Permalink |
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» Tim Hibbitts Requests 'Retraction' And/Or 'Clarification' from The One True b!X's PORTLAND COMMUNIQUE
Very early this morning, Jack Bogdanski posted about a milestone for his weblog: Receiving a letter from an attorney for a local public figure. "Fortunately, the lawyer was mistaken," Jack wrote. "The comments he was complaining about were posted on so... [Read More]
Comments (6)
OK, but let's take a moment and talk about the legal implications of blogs that allow people to post comments.
What if a comment contains a libelous statement? What's your obligation, if any?
Are there analogies here to newspaper letters-to-the-editor? Or, perhaps, to callers on a talk radio show?
And, even further afield, what about a group blog like BlueOregon? Are the individual columnists responsible for their own words - or does BlueOregon have responsibility for them? Is there an analogy here to a newspaper that prints editorials? Does it make a difference if they're from paid staffers versus members of the public submitting editorials for free?
I knew there was a reason I should have gone to law school.
Posted by Kari Chisholm | September 3, 2004 1:19 AM
Kari:
Wired: Bloggers Gain Libel Protection
Posted by Scott | September 3, 2004 8:55 AM
So then Jack which one of us out here should be checking their mail? Doesn't this mean you have the inside scoop? Heh.
Posted by The One True b!X | September 3, 2004 9:08 AM
Ah, nevermind. I see via email that it's directed at me. I'll have more later on Communique.
Posted by The One True b!X | September 3, 2004 12:27 PM
You asked for it.
Posted by Jack Bog | September 3, 2004 12:47 PM
Literally, as it turns out, when I wrote: "We're not sure what to think about the fact that we aren't on Hibbitt's radar and so didn't get chewed out ourselves despite having made the criticisms first. Oh, well."
Posted by The One True b!X | September 3, 2004 1:34 PM