Since the launch of Facebook, millions of users have been drawn to the site to share pictures, to give friends updates and reconnect with them. The site has provided people with a platform to communicate information that people did not consider.
Posting information on Facebook could give people a sense of anonymity if their profile does not show their true identity. But if one posts certain information on Facebook, it could provide the base for a lawsuit. Many online users post content that insults another person, race or religion; this could lead to serious trouble for them if a lawsuit is fined.
The alleged victim of defamation could hire defamation of character lawyers and work out a plan to make sure the perpetrator is punished. There have been various incidents where people were arrested for posting illegal content defaming other individuals on Facebook.
Defamation Of Character
A cause of action that could arise from posting information on Facebook is a defamation of character claim. To prove this claim, the victim needs to show that the perpetrator made a published claim. They could also show that the statement caused harm to the victim and that it was false and not privileged. The defamation statement could be spoken or written. Spoken defamation is called ‘slander’, and written defamation is known as ‘libel’. The victim usually contacts defamation of character lawyers in Perth before filing for defamation.
- While many people could look at Facebook as a private medium for sharing information, many consider it a public forum.
- Many courts in different jurisdictions have found no legitimate expectation of privacy in Facebook; even more, users take steps to keep particular contents ‘private’. The victim needs to show that someone saw the post.
- Successfully winning a defamation suit does not need many people to see the communication, even as an email sent to a person has provided justification for an award in other libel actions.
- The statement has to be damaging to the individual including their reputation. This could require that an individual show how they were damaged from the statement, like being ostracized from a social group or losing business in a store.
- Some states have ‘slander per set standards in which particular statements are considered defamatory. Statements such as a person who committed a crime were professionally incompetent or carriers of disease.
- Truth is considered a defence to a defamation lawsuit. It is not bad or slanderous for a person to repeat a truthful statement about an individual, even if it could damage their reputation.
- There are particular laws regarding referencing someone else’s post or repeating it; it generally states that a re-tweeter or re-poster is not the publisher or speaker of the original information. There are also laws in few states that limit the liability of an individual who quickly removes the post or tweet.
Different standards could apply if the person posted or tweeted against is a public figure. A public figure needs to show the actual malice behind the statement if they want to prevail in the case. A public figure also takes the help of the best defamation of character lawyers to find a way to punish those who try to harm their reputation.
Harassment
Cyberbullying and increasing intimidating behaviour in social media channels have led to many states enacting laws that especially does not allow online harassment. Even if there are no such laws, current state harassment laws could provide a basis for a lawsuit. This could include cases where an individual impersonates someone else and pretends to be them.
Invasion Of Privacy
A different cause of action that could result from posting information to Facebook is an invasion of privacy claim. This cause of action could arise when an individual’s private information is posted to Facebook or when embarrassing photos of a person surfaced online when they had a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Copyright Infringement
Although it is very unlikely to post content copyrighted by others without their permission, the owner of the content could sue them for copyright infringement. They usually take assistance from the best defamation lawyers in Perth, WA, before making such decisions and for advice.
Hire Defamation Lawyers
Suppose someone has insulted the reputation of an individual or caused them harm by posting malicious content about them on Facebook. In that case, they could seek the help of defamation lawyers in Perth. It is not easy to deal with personal insults from anonymous people on Facebook; some people are affected greatly due to this and end up in depression.
It is best to associate with a good firm like Defamation lawyers Perth who provides experienced defamation lawyers to help people with defamation cases. These professionals can help people get back their lost reputation and punish the perpetrators who caused them harm.
