Internet

Reputation matters: Defamation court claims increase by 22%

The latest figures published by the Ministry of Justice for 2019 reveal that defamation claims issued in the Royal Courts of Justice are continuing to rise significantly year on year. The figures show that litigation over defamatory statements has increased by 22% on the previous year and by as much as 107% on the year before that.

This upward trend underlines the tremendous importance of reputation.  The old adage ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ no longer holds water in today’s world of permanent publications and first impressions. Whereas previously a libellous statement written in a newspaper article would eventually be forgotten about, nowadays articles and online posts are available online indefinitely, making it difficult to outgrow a besmirched reputation. A positive reputation is vital for business and professional success so it is unsurprising that so many are taking to the courts to defend their honour.

The increase in social media use is likely to play a part in this upsurge in defamation claims. In the arena of Facebook and Twitter, anyone can become an instant publisher to a wide audience at the click of a button, leading many to experience the anguish of online defamation.

For help protecting your reputation including seeking removal of malicious or false online posts please contact NetRights at enquiries@netrights.co.uk or telephone 0207 698 4427.

Would you like to publish online with minimal legal risk?

Do you want to publish a controversial story or statement online or in the press? Or are you going to publish a book or magazine or video? Are you concerned about legal risks such as defamation, breach of confidence, infringement of privacy or trademark or copyright infringement?

Our experienced media lawyer has helped to safely publish and broadcast controversial articles for newspapers and magazines as well as television programmes for Channel 4.

Our aim is to enable you to say all the things that you want to say, but in a way that does not expose you to unnecessary legal risk. We will work closely with you to ensure that whatever it is that you wish to publish, gets published safely.

Contact NetRights on 0207 698 4427 or enquiries@netrights.co.uk for a no commitment fixed cost estimate.

Increased risk of online harm

As people are spending more time at home at the moment this means that more time is also being spent online.

This has its advantages, from enabling us to keep up to date with essential news to online shopping and staying in regular contact with family and friends. Social media use is on the increase with people searching for other ways to keep themselves entertained.

However, there is a darker side to this increased online activity, with more people turning to vindictive or malicious social media posts such as:

Revenge porn

Revenge porn is where intimate photos or videos of someone are shared online without their permission.  Often the sharer is a disgruntled ex-partner.  The government’s Revenge Porn Helpline* has reported increased number of calls from victims of intimate image abuse during the lockdown period. It is believed that both the increase in social media use and the heightened emotions at this time are responsible, with revenge porn often originating from controlling or abusive relationships.

Trolling and harassment

It is an unfortunate reality that people can feel more disinhibited when they are online and may engage in unacceptable behaviour that they might not contemplate in person. It is also easier for people to let their emotions get the better of them and make a malicious post in the heat of the moment. Unfortunately, disgruntled people can turn to social media to target their victims and this can lead to repeated online insults, provocations or even threats.

False or malicious online posts

Some people decide to publicly air their personal grudges or grievances online or are even just motivated by boredom.  This can lead to false or malicious social media posts that attack the reputation of an individual or a company.

If you are on the receiving end of any of these activities, then we know that it can be deeply distressing as well as damaging to your reputation.

 

For help with any of the above issues, including seeking removal of online posts, please contact Laura Baglow at NetRights on 0207 698 4427.

 

*The government’s Revenge Porn Helpline number is 0345 6000459 and the Samaritans can be contacted at 116 123 or by email to jo@samaritans.org