Publishing untrue statements on the Internet via your Twitter feed etc. even as “anonymous” could get you sued. So it might feel good to vent about an unpleasant experience at a hotel but beware it not without risks. And to make matters worse, its possible to get sued in a foreign country if the statement is downloaded in that country.
To put this in perspective, to write about the lumpy mattress is probably okay but have some proof before publishing a claim on Yelp that a hotel is infested with bedbugs.
Tags: defamation, Linkedin, social networking, Yelp
Reading Tea Leaves by Randy Wilson 
October 12, 2009 at 5:19 pm |
What about someone misusing my name, email address on chat sites and being harassed with all kinds of sex emails as a result? is this illegal? How can I stop it? How can I prove it? who can I report it to? I have several people in mind as to who are responsible
January 19, 2010 at 6:26 pm |
First of all, I think it’s a good idea to be as sure as possible that it really is a person or persons involved, and not jusr SAM or malicious computer software like a virus or trojan. I receive tons of annoying email, that often specifies my name, etc., but is really computer-generated SPAM or phishing emails trying to defraud
whoever they can, or from pornographic Websites. . Like the emails from Bank of America regarding my account there (I have none).
Posting your name or email address on blogs or chat sites does sound more suspicious to me than receiving emails. Maybe it’s just SAM bots, but perhaps someone who knows you. I would take the emails and internet postings to the police for advice. If they say there is not enough for them to do anything at this point, then go to a lawyer. Maybe you can sue, but I assume there would still need to be more than suspicion to pursue charges or file a civil suit. if you sue or harass an innocent person, you yourself would be subject to the law. So, please be careful, but dwfinitely nail the jerk(s) if you can !
Is there any libel or slander being posted specifying you, people impersonating you, etc.?