[WikiEN-l] Libel law

Thu Dec 8 11:15:29 UTC 2005

On 12/7/05, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> Anthony DiPierro wrote:
>
> >On 12/7/05, Steve Block <steve.block at myrealbox.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>geni wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>On 12/7/05, Steve Block <steve.block at myrealbox.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Is there any thoughts on private individuals?  Are we open to libel
> >>>>suits if we edit a page containing a libellous statement and fail to
> >>>>remove it completely from the edit history?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>I don't think there are any legal presidents in that area.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>No, but it would be nice to hear people's opinions, and also nice to
> >>hear if any legal opinion had been given to Wikipedia regarding this.
> >>Look at it this way:
> >>
> >>
> >Under US law, we aren't liable for libellous statements that are made
> >by other people.  UK law might differ, but to the extent it does
> >that's not really all that interesting to most people on this list -
> >the foundation is a US company (with, according to Kelly Martin, no
> >legal presense in the UK).
> >
> It may come as a surprise to you, but many of us on the list are not
> Americans, and we find that kind of attitude deeply offensive.  It may
> be true enough that the specific provisions of UK law may not be
> interesting to most of us, but if you substite the Wikipedian's own
> country for UK the resulting total will not be insignificant.  This is
> precisely the kind of arrogant attitude that goes into the image of the
> "Ugly American".
>
> The fact that Wikipedia's servers are primarily in the United States
> naturally caries certain legal implications.  We all know that.  That
> the law of the United States is in any way superior is not one of those
> implications.  Sometime we would appreciate a little less bushshit, and
> more of a recognition that the United States is only one country in the
> same world as the rest of us.
>
> Ec
>

The UK situation is pretty simple. Don't try and use truth as a
defence except as a last resort and watch out for inciteing racial
hatred laws.

--
geni