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CA Court: Message Boards Are Opinions, Not Facts

Posted by chrisd on from the special-rights-for-special-people dept.

Masem writes: "According to this Newsbytes story, a CA appeals court has issued a ruling that says that typical messages posted to internet message boards can not be considered as libel or slander, as they inheritently are framed as opinions and not as statements of fact. The case stems from rather negative comments posted by defendants about a computer reseller company on the internet; the company sued for libelous comments; lower courts did initially rule for the company, but the appeals court has overturned this. While not every message posted in a public forum is safe, the court's decision seems to convey that unless the message is framed as a form of fact, then any message posted to a public internet forum should be considered as opinion, and thus cannot be considered as a libelous comment."

10 of 297 comments (clear)

  1. So much for by sulli · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    "+1, Informative"...

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    sulli
    RTFJ.
  2. Re:Osama Bin Laden and BIll Gates by KajiCo · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Or that Slashdot is communism in electronic form, and I won't get sued either =) cuz it's my opinion.

  3. Message from by nusuth · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Yesterday I got a message from an Saudi man, Osama.For obvious reasons I can't reveal the e-mail, or any other information for that matter, so don't bother me, okay? He said under Taliban ruling, he was as unhappy as the next guy. Now he dug his eniac out of the bunker he had hid it, and can freely post to internet to share his opinions with us. He promises that, had he known about how internet advanced, he would have never done what he did. Now he can discuss with us instead of suicidal terrorist attacks.

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    Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room!

  4. Re:Whoah.... by Person+X · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I vehemenently refute this libelous attack on my character. Rest assured, I will be contacting my lawyer regarding this matter

  5. Re:Good News by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Is that anything like a barroom brawl?

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree
  6. Re:Yeah, but... by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Catch-22: an infinite doo loop

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree
  7. Re:Slashdot Paradox by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Grue ot toast: ?

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree
  8. Re:new UBB tag by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I am not responsible for anything I say

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree
  9. Re:new UBB tag by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Damn!

    I am not responsible for anything I say

    Obviously!

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree
  10. Re:new UBB tag by paraducks · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Damn! How do you get the tag to show?

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    I am impressed by everyones omniscience, too bad y'all can't agree