Internet Defamation: What is Defamation?

Simply put: defamation = lies. And in the online space, there is a whole lot of it.

On September 3, 2015, in a rather unprecedented decision, a majority of the Washington Supreme Court held that Backpage.com, an online service provider, might not be guaranteed the protections provided for under the Communications Decency Act (“CDA”). JS v Village Voice Media Holdings involved minors that were featured in advertisements for sexual services on Backpage.com. The… READ MORE

Last week, a California Appellate Court ruled that criminal charges of threatening violence against a crime victim could be brought against an amateur rapper who posted a video on Facebook rapping about killing the rape victims of his incarcerated crewmember. While the appellate ruling was procedural in nature,[1] the decision allows state prosecutors to try… READ MORE

You just received a negative Yelp review. Is there anything a business can do to combat customer’s disgruntled statements? Can they be removed? The short answer is yes, but there is more to the story. Continue reading to understand why Yelp is not liable and the consequences business should consider when fighting back against false… READ MORE