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Man Fined $4,000 For 'Liking' Defamatory Posts on Facebook (cnn.com)
In what appears to be a first, a court in Switzerland has fined a man the equivalent of over $4,000 just for clicking the "like" button on what a judge said were defamatory Facebook comments. From a report: The court in Zurich found that the man indirectly endorsed and further distributed the comments by using the ubiquitous Facebook "like" button. The man, who was not named in the court's statement, "liked" several posts written by a third party that accused an animal rights activist of antisemitism, racism and fascism. In court, the man was not able to prove that the claims were accurate or could reasonably be held to be true. "The defendant clearly endorsed the unseemly content and made it his own," a statement from the court said. The court fined the man a total of 4,000 Swiss francs ($4,100). He has the right to appeal his sentence. Facebook said the case had "no direct link" to the company, and a spokesperson declined to comment.
Everyone who uses Facebook should be fined $4000.
This is why Trump and REAL Americans want absolutely nothing to do with you Eurotrash.
#covfefe
NOT. EVEN. ONCE.
This is why Trump and REAL Russians want absolutely nothing to do with you Eurotrash.
#covfefe
Who will think of the bots this will dramatically impact?
When Russian bots dream, they dream of oil burning sheep.
Think on them, before you fine too much.
Vast herds of Russian bots might go hungry, unable to pay their fines.
Will you help them?
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
Too many shit countries out there to have a 1-world government tending toward the mean.
... for a court to be putting into a "like" button.
For one thing, does "liking" using the button imply endorsement? Does "like" mean what they think it means? Or was the person's intention? And what if it was inadvertent clicking?
What if the button was called "interesting..." instead?
You would think that a court would restrain itself and hesitate to rule, given so many possibilities of meaning and ambiguities here...
Real Russians use vk.com
Ok, is Switzerland, so maybe they have different laws from what I’m used to. But in the civilized world, we value free speech. The right to free speech often translates into the right to be a total asshole, but that’s the price we pay to ensure that well-meaning people don’t have their rights stomped on by a fascist government.
Now, speech can be INVOLVED in criminal behavior. For instance, libel and slander. These come down not to the speech but the consequences of the speech. You can “defame” a fictional character all you want, and you can say really asshole things about non-specific people.
In this specific case there’s this “third party” who said defamatory things about an animal rights activist — who are THEY? Why aren’t we hearing more about this third party? Why aren’t they in trouble? Why is some moron with a like button fined $4000 when the original defamer is left unscathed?
I’m really liberal, but this sounds like some of that SJW shit the conservatives are always going on about.
Pretty soon the Internet will be filled with the sound of crickets.
The judge did not like the statements, and therefore the defendant wasn't supposed to like the statements either.
Facebook just kinda seems more akin to a giant tumor than a platform where people are connected and being social.
I know the headline is deliberately designed to try to provoke "outrage" but I actually RTFA (for once) and in this case the headline isn't even exaggerating. Those Swedes are absolute MORONS! (or at least their judges appear to be).
Well, another worthless country... How stupid are people?
They said his defense was "full of holes." :-)
Isn't the Slashdot moderation system based on likes? If moderators can get sued for promoting a post, Slashdot isn't long for the Internet.
(T>t && O(n)--) == sqrt(666)
Would you like to know more?
I am glad I quit all social media. I hate being held accountable for making unlawfully defamatory statements about innocent people.
Thoughtcrime!
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
I was about to start throwing my weight around in here, moderating up/down, but then I realised I could face legal consequences for endorsing anyones views. :-/
Jeez, dude. Forget about RTFA. How about RTFS: Read The Fucking SUMMARY?
The court in Zurich found that the man indirectly endorsed and further distributed the comments
Personally, I like the ruling. Slander is slander. Spreading false bullshit should be a punishable civil offense in the US, too.
I don't respond to AC's.
Any Swiss not in the streets protesting this worship Hitler and Gobbles.
Welcome to the new world. A world in which having an option is racist, and expressing it, illegal.
I just don't know who is supposed to be wrong here anymore :(.
I guess truth is not a defense against defamation in Switzerland. I hope irony is.
Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
"Free speech" does not protect things like defamation of character, slander, libel, or inciting violence.
In the United States, free speech does not protect defamation, whether that defamation is slander or libel (two types of defamation).
Inciting violence is actually somewhat protected so long as it is not actually likely to occur. The government can ban "incitement to imminent lawless action that is likely to occur" without violating the First Amendment, at least under 1969 Supreme Court precedent that is good law today.
However, there are a LOT of ins and outs to the law of free speech in the United States. It would take a few hundred pages to start writing it up, because there are a large number of interrelated rules that have evolved in different legal cases over the last century.
You should obviously consult an attorney if you are in a position where any of this matters seriously to your situation.
Real lawyers write in C++
Death to all fascists
The way I read it, pushing the "Like" button is only a small part; the man did post some defamations himself.
Like = freedom of speech and expression. Punishing people for speaking their minds in public and we're right back to tyranny. You have the right to speak. It doesn't mean anyone has to listen. To those that do listen they are free to like or dislike what they want. That is real choice. To punish someone for liking something regardless if it is controversial, defamatory, or violates someone's sense of morality flies directly in the face of real freedom. The judgement is not one of a country that encourages freedom, it's from one that oppresses it.
And this, boys and girls, is what you get when you don't have a constitution that guarantees free speech. The lefties in the US are trying for the same thing by equating speech they don't like to assault and then rioting http://www.foxnews.com/politic... and beating people in the head with bike locks to shut down speech they disagree with. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/n... Every fascist leftie, piss ant bureaucrat and judge becomes their own little dictator who can shit on you from on high. The only thing stopping this crap in the US is our constitution and enforcement of the rule of law (which apparently doesn't happen in Berkeley, CA...
If you disagree, please post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like
As if we need another reason.
http://covfefe.com/
#DeleteFacebook
Reminded me of this http://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/two-women-arrested-for-facebook-post-on-mumbai-shutdown-granted-bail-504977?site=full
So people are expected to research and verify a news story before clicking "like"?
If only it was in Sweden, I'd understand it. Sweden left sanity decades ago. But this happened in Switzerland, which is usually a pretty sane country.
Progressivism: Parasites helping parasites to help themselves - to other people's stuff.
... the hell was the court, or any other law enforcement body, keeping track of what this gentleman was liking - in the first place?
The article completely glides over how or why they were monitoring this guy's social media.
He can easily prove that he made a true statement, even if you take clicking "like" as a statement. He liked the comment he clicked on. Are they going to get him to testify against himself and say he _didn't_ actually like the comment?
This is incredibly stupid. The statement he made was "I like this statement." He did not claim anyone was racist or anything else.
Ok, is Switzerland, so maybe they have different laws from what I’m used to.
So why the FUCK do you think we give a shit what you think or value? Why did you continue in your avowed ignorant rant?
You're nothing but a fucking TROLL.
Switzerland has lese majeste laws still on the books, layers and centuries of laws and regulations, and you "really liberal" foreign opinion is worthless. Who are you to claim that the Swiss have a "fascist government"? Who, specifically, are you calling a fascist?
Perhaps the "original defamer" is out of jurisdiction, perhaps?
What he did is not "free speech" - he indicated clearly to his contacts that he wants them to know about this, but he doesn't write a message denouncing iit, he "likes" it instead, so yes, he distributed the insults and defamation and IN SWISS LAW he is guilty.
I don't approve of all laws everywhere, but they are what they are. You don't live "in a civilised world" - you live in your own imagination.
Wrong.
Russians want to co-operate and do business with Europe.
An alliance between Russian with its huge resources and population and Europe (especially Germany) with their capital and technology would totally dominate the US. That is the main reason why the US are setting Europe and Russia up against each other.
Divide and conquer.
"Trump!!", the new Godwin.
Dude, Europeans wants nothing to do with Russia. We buy materials there, but trust me, we want nothing to do with that drunken, dirty, ignorant and arrogant bunch of twats with Herrenmenschen-aspirations.
If you meet a Russian, kick him in the face. It's the only thing he'll understand and respect. If you don't, he'll perceive you as weak and try to kick you in the face. You do not try to be "friends". "Friendship" is weakness and will end up with you being used, the "friendship" lasting as long as you're perceived to be useful.
That's all there is to it.
But there are libel laws in the US, and are allowed by the constitution. So, can you elaborate your point
once more, in the light of the new information that I provided you about the laws of your own country?
Bill and Hillary Clinton enriched themselves through shady deals with Russian oligarchs and Russian government, quite possibly using her power as then SecState to enable the deal while she was pocketing millions.
Even the NY Times described it thusly: "Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal"
"Whether the donations played any role in the approval of the uranium deal is unknown. But the episode underscores the special ethical challenges presented by the Clinton Foundation, headed by a former president who relied heavily on foreign cash to accumulate $250 million in assets even as his wife helped steer American foreign policy as secretary of state, presiding over decisions with the potential to benefit the foundation's donors."
"Uranium investors' efforts to buy mining assets in Kazakhstan and the United States led to a takeover bid by a Russian state-owned energy company. The investors gave millions to the Clinton Foundation over the same period, while Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's office was involved with approving the Russian bid.
SEPTEMBER 2005 Frank Giustra, a Canadian mining financier, wins a major uranium deal in Kazakhstan for his company, UrAsia, days after visiting the country with former President Bill Clinton.
2006 Mr. Giustra donates $31.3 million to the Clinton Foundation.
JUNE 2008 Negotations begin for an investment in Uranium One by the Russian atomic energy agency, Rosatom.
2008-2010 Uranium One and former UrAsia investors make $8.65 million in donations to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One investors stand to profit on a Rosatom deal.
2010-2011 Investors give millions more in donations to the Clinton Foundation.
JUNE 2010 Rosatom seeks majority ownership of Uranium One, pending approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, of which the State Department is a member.
JUNE 29, 2010 Bill Clinton is paid $500,000 for a speech in Moscow by a Russian investment bank with ties to the Kremlin that assigned a buy rating to Uranium One stock.
OCTOBER 2010 Rosatom's majority ownership approved by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
Trying to scroll FB on my phone I've accidentally liked or otherwise committed emoji actions. Just like I've accidentally caused videos to start playing, sites to be opened, etc.
So the feelz...
Dude, Europeans wants nothing to do with Russia. We buy materials there, but trust me, we want nothing to do with that drunken, dirty, ignorant and arrogant bunch of twats with Herrenmenschen-aspirations.
If you meet a Russian, kick him in the face. It's the only thing he'll understand and respect. If you don't, he'll perceive you as weak and try to kick you in the face. You do not try to be "friends". "Friendship" is weakness and will end up with you being used, the "friendship" lasting as long as you're perceived to be useful.
That's all there is to it.
Yet you invite their Stalinistic socialism ideas into your government and society every chance you get.
I got news for you Euroboy, you ARE what Russia once was.
Wow, that was fast.
Go back to school, ignoramus. I would suggest getting some real knowledge, and less mindless indoctrination from Fox.
Dec. 10, 2015
Lt. Gen Michael Flynn is part of a panel discussion in Moscow for the 10th anniversary of government-backed Russia Today, for which he receives payment (The Washington Post, Aug. 15, 2016). Officials notice an increase in communication between Flynn and the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, following the Russia Today event (CNN, May 19, 2017).
Late 2015
British intelligence agencies detect suspicious interactions between Russia and Trump aides that they pass on to American intelligence agencies (The Guardian, April 13, 2017).
March 19, 2016
Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta is sent an email that encourages him to change his email password, likely precipitating the hack of his account (CBS News, Oct. 28, 2016).
March 21
During an interview with The Post, Trump lists Carter Page as part of his foreign policy team. Page had been recommended by a son-in-law of President Richard Nixon, New York Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox (WP, March 21, 2016).
March 28
Political veteran Paul Manafort is hired to help the Trump campaign manage the delegate process for the Republican National Convention. He is recommended by Trump confidante Roger Stone (New York Times, March 28, 2016). Before joining the campaign, Manafort lobbied on behalf of Oleg Deripaska, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. That deal followed a memo from Manafort in which he offered a plan that could "greatly benefit the Putin Government." His relationship with Deripaska ended in 2009 (Associated Press, March 22, 2017). Manafort also worked on behalf of the Russia-friendly Party of Regions in Ukraine, helping guide the party's leader, Viktor Yanukovych, to the country's presidency. Yanukovych would later be ousted. (WP, Aug. 19, 2016)
April 27
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) may have met with Kislyak at a reception at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington before a foreign-policy speech given by Trump (CNN, May 31, 2017).
June
At a closed-door meeting of foreign policy experts and the prime minister of India, Page praises Putin effusively (WP, Aug. 5, 2016).
June 15
A hacker calling himself "Guccifer 2.0" releases the Democratic National Committee's research file on Donald Trump (Gawker, June 15, 2016). News reports already link the stolen data to Russian hackers (WP, June 14, 2016).
July
At some point this month, the FBI begins investigating possible links between the Russian government and Trump's campaign (Wired, March 20, 2017).
July 7
Page travels to Moscow to give a lecture (NYT, April 19, 2017). The Trump campaign approved the trip (USA Today, March 7, 2017). This trip was likely the catalyst for the FBI's request for a secret surveillance warrant to track Pageâs communications (WP, May 25, 2017).
July 11 or 12
Trump campaign staffers intervene with the committee developing the Republican Party's national security platform to remove language call arming Ukraine against Russian aggression. (July 18, 2016).
July 18
At an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation as part of the Republican National Convention, Sessions and Kislyak have a brief conversation (WP, March 2, 2017).
Flynn delivers a speech at the Republican convention, joining in the crowd's "Lock her up!" chant. "If I, a guy who knows this business, if I did a tenth of what she did," Flynn said, "I would be in jail today" (C-Span, July 18, 2016).
July 22
Wikileaks releases emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee (WP, July 22, 2017).
Jul. 27
During his last news conference of the campaign, Trump asks Russia to release emails hacked from Clinton's private server. He later says that he was joking (WP, July, 27, 2016).
Aug. 9
Flynn Intel Group, a consulting firm founded by Flynn, signs a contract with Inovo BV, a firm run by a Turkish businessman close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for more than $500,000 (Daily Caller, Nov. 11, 2016).
Aug. 15
The New York Times reports on secret ledge