The New York Times reports on good news for all who operate message boards and/or blogs that allow discussion.
The California Supreme Court said yesterday that Internet publishers could not be held liable if they posted defamatory comments written by others.
The court, in a unanimous decision, said those claiming defamation could sue only the original source of the comments, not publishers or distributors, even if the distributor was an individual. Internet users are protected by the same 1996 Communications Decency Act that grants immunity against defamation claims to publishers in most circumstances, the court said, overturning a San Francisco appeals court.
While 99% of all commentary on AdPulp is perfectly civil, it’s good to know we’re not responsible for what other people say.
