Bloggers and Defamation

This sentiment reminds me of Anatole France’s famous statement that the law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. The quick equation of an individual blogger with the might of a newspaper or a magazine is a little troubling. Individuals do not have the same kind of power, money or reach to be able to defend themselves in the way that newspapers may be capable of.

Responding to the argument that bloggers should be as responsible as journalists in their writings, Lawrence Liang explains how corporations and organizations often “use defamation laws to to silence any form of critique, or action by activists.” When hazaar caveats and loopholes are attached, I would be surprised if people didn’t take advantage of them.