dls wrote:It is defamation, not deformation. Let's leave that behind.
The limitation period runs from the date of publication, not when the person defamed gets to hear about it, but there is provision for extension. On the other hand special rules can apply to internet publications.
I would very nearly always tell a client defamed to forget about it and move on irrespective of the virtues of the case. The huge financial risk of an action has to be measured against the fact that most people's memory is very limited.
There is a real argument that when defamed, the dignified thing to do is to ignore. Picking at it only prolongs the agony. The person making strident allegations often looks bad simply for making them, and arguing only tends to support any suggestion that the person defamed is somehow at fault.
The failure to rise to the bait is no good indication of the reason why they may not have done so.
On a slight tangent, I came across the Daily Express website through a link on google news, whilst I had no expectations for the quality of journalism - I was quite surprised by the open racism including incitement to violence and hatred in the comments section. I thought I'd accidently entered some kind of underground extremist site.
Does a hosting website have any responsibility/liability if the comments are considered to be some form of hate crime?
