Social media and Defamation

For businesses and individuals alike we must take social media comments. Reputations can easily be damaged with long lasting consequences.

Individuals are finding themselves engaged in litigation proceedings for defamation and the internet providers are now being called to answer claims that they have responsibilities to manage the social media space responsibly.

A recent ACT Supreme Court case has highlighted that operators have responsibilities to monitor their online forums to ensure that defamatory material is managed appropriately. The Court in this case ordered the operator of the website to pay $85,000 in damages to a professional person who claimed harm had been caused to her professional reputation as a result of abusive and untrue comments being published and remaining on the website.

Do you have a social media policy for your business?  Is it being managed, regularly reviewed?  Does it reflect the standards of the day?