The number of libel cases in which claimants say they have been defamed online has more than doubled in a year – and the growth of social media may be a cause of the surge, according to new research.
But the total number of defamation cases brought rose by only four per cent, from 83 cases in the year ending May 31 last year to 86 in the 12 months to the end of this May, say the figures, drawn from legal information provider Sweet and Maxwell’s Lawtel and Westlaw UK services.
Experts had predicted that there would be a dramatic jump in online defamation cases following the birth of social networking and micro-blogging sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Barrister Korieh Duodu, a media specialist with law firm Addleshaw Goddard LLP, said: “Social media tools have over a billion users worldwide and are growing rapidly in popularity.
“Nevertheless, they can present a huge problem for individuals and corporates trying to protect their reputations from harmful user-generated content.
“People who find themselves damaged on social media sites can often find it time-consuming and difficult to have the offending material removed, because many platform providers do not accept responsibility for their users’ content.
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Source: yorkshirepost.co.uk
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