Could an internet squabble go to court?

misha06misha06 Posts: 3,378
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Hello,

My wife has received a call today from somebody who is apparently a legal representative of someone who she (my wife) has been having arguments with. He was abrupt on the phone and said that papers were going to be posted to us with a view to suing for libel.

It is an expat forum, where her antagonist on multiple occasions accused her of all sorts of things. She has also been posting obscenities about me and my wifes family.

Is there any precidents of such incidents going to court at all? To me it all seems a bit surreal and ridiculous.

Any thoughts and opinions welcome.

Going to the pub for a hour back soon:p

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 142
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    Call the newspapers and sell them the story - then the antagonist will be humiliated in front of the world :P
  • hugsiehugsie Posts: 17,497
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    I think it has. Someone sued someone else for flaming them online. not sure of the details though!
  • SigurdSigurd Posts: 26,610
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    Well, here's one such case:
    Chatroom users, bloggers and contributors to Internet forums and other Internet-based message boards are warned. Their opinions could be the origin of a libel action against them.

    Michael Keith-Smith, a former Conservative Party member issued a claim for libel after being called a “nazi”, “racist bigot” and “nonce” during a debate in an internet forum on the war in Iraq. Although accusations like these are common on the internet, Mr Keith-Smith decided to pursue this matter as he believed that "It was a matter of principle” and that he just “did not see why they should be allowed to get a way with it”, subsequently he sought enforcement of his right to honour.

    After an investigation to discover the real identity of the chat-room users who insulted him, Mr Keith-Smith decided to begin court action against them by means of two different libel claims.

    One of these actions was actually settled before trial for the amount of £30,000. However the second action reached the court, which pronounced in favour of Mr Keith-Smith, awarding damages in the sum of £10,000 together with £7,200 representing costs and the obligation for the defendant to never repeat such allegations against Mr Keith-Smith.
    http://www.lawdit.co.uk/reading_room/room/view_article.asp?name=../articles/Defamation%20on%20chatrooms.htm

    And another:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/mar/24/media.business
  • fleetfleet Posts: 11,574
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    http://www.mad.co.uk/Main/News/Articlex/655933470e7045518e543066bd5eff19/Careless-talk.html

    http://www.website-law.co.uk/resources/website-libel.html

    Don't know if the above are of any help. There's quite a bit on the net about online libel court cases, but a lot are in America.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,537
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    I suppose it depends on the manner, I'm not sure you can libel an anomymous identity can you? In all cases above it seems to have been some one calling a real person, by their real name, libelous statements.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    If she can sue you, and shes been the one causing problems, then why not sue her back?
  • DrPepperDrPepper Posts: 2,655
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    Maybe
  • coopermanyorkscoopermanyorks Posts: 21,215
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    post a link to the offending posts , I am sure we can make a judge and jury :)
  • misha06misha06 Posts: 3,378
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    Thanks for your replies peeps.

    Unfortunately the forum is for expat russians so the text is all in cyrric.

    I think myself this person is onto a loser but it got me thinking about the consequences of online arguments on an internet forum and how maybe people dont think before they type, believing that because they are anonymously (sp?) sitting at a keyboard they are fireproof.

    Not here though everyone is well behaved:p
  • moogiechompymoogiechompy Posts: 618
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    misha06 wrote: »
    Hello,

    My wife has received a call today

    Can I be really thick, please humour me :o how do you get a call from someone, do you have you personal details on the forum?
  • Central cakeCentral cake Posts: 5,618
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    Take it to Judge Judy like this women did

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJDK6ctRjqw
  • Hopeless_SavageHopeless_Savage Posts: 2,835
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    Can I be really thick, please humour me :o how do you get a call from someone, do you have you personal details on the forum?

    Yeah i've gotta ask this myself.
    How did they contact you after only knowing you through the forum in the first place?
  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    Yeah i've gotta ask this myself.
    How did they contact you after only knowing you through the forum in the first place?

    You an request IP details, and throught them get the name and address of the "account holder".

    Saying that - I can't see a person being phoned and told that they were being sued!
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