Ed Poor wrote:
Sheldon, I think you worry too much -- at least, as
far
as Jimbo and the Wikipedia project are concerned.
Wikipedia is a work in progress. I don't think anyone
would bother to launch a libel action against it, if for
no other reason than it's hard to hit a moving target.
I certainly hope you're right, but people file libel actions for all
sorts of reasons, some of which are unfair and unreasonable. People
sue in hopes of getting a quick cash settlement; they sue because
they're jerks or because they're paranoid; sometimes they sue because
they're in the right.
Given the nature of my own project, I certainly want to make sure
that I understand how libel law could affect the Disinfopedia.
However, I don't think you can just *assume* that no one would bother
to sue Wikipedia. Currently you're a much larger target than
Disinfopedia, reaching a larger potential audience and therefore a
larger pool of potential litigants. Even if we assume that the
average Wikipedian is less likely to sue than the average
Disinfopedian, you still may be at higher risk.
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| Sheldon Rampton
| Editor, PR Watch (
www.prwatch.org)
| Author of books including:
| Friends In Deed: The Story of US-Nicaragua Sister Cities
| Toxic Sludge Is Good For You
| Mad Cow USA
| Trust Us, We're Experts
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