Blog Reviewer Sued

[faustus]

A depressing moment, but of course the interwebs are subject to the laws of libel and slander as any other medium. I just think it's bad form to sue a reviewer.

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/08/20/writer_sued_for_a_ne.html

Comments

A Modest Proposal

[pigeonhed.livejournal.com]

Ill review your Pratchett book negatively, you sue and the publicity will boost your sales for which I take a cut...

[buffysquirrel.livejournal.com]

Fair comment on a matter of public interest. 'Nuff said.

(oh...wait...this is America, right?)

[pigeonhed.livejournal.com]

That the author is sueing doesn't mean that he will win of course. Unfortunately one of the products of a perceived culture of litigation is that ridiculous cases* are reported and thus encourage more of the same to the point that eventually some judge makes a moronic decision and sets precedent.

* Often, as in the case of the woman who sued McDonalds when her hot coffee burnt her, these are urban myths but they have the same dangerous result.

And until the 1820s at least UK laws meant that a statement could be libellous even if it were true, see the respective politically vindictive prosecutions by Lord Ellensborough of William Hone and Leigh Hunt for examples. I don't know how you stand now on a true comment that can be seen to affect earnings potential for example.