ISPs could be sued for letting customers read defamatory comments, says Leveson lawyer

Times of London ^ | Monday, January 21, 2013 | Ben Webster, Media Editor

[SunkenCiv]

Internet service providers could be sued for allowing their customers to read defamatory comments online, under a new law proposed by the lead counsel to the Leveson inquiry.

Robert Jay, QC, who led the questioning of key witnesses including David Cameron and Rupert Murdoch, has suggested a solution for regulating the internet after Lord Justice Leveson largely ducked the issue in his 2,000-page report.

Acknowledging that he was “entering a hornets’ nest that Lord Justice Leveson wisely avoided”, Mr Jay said that increasingly imaginative solutions were needed to make dissemination of defamatory content online subject to civil law.

[SunkenCiv]

Robert Jay, QC, (Counsel to Leveson Inquiry) admitted that he was entering a hornets' nest in tackling an area that Lord Justice Leveson had "wisely avoided" [Times photographer, Chris Harris]

[SunkenCiv]

His mother was a hamster, and his sister smells of elderberries!

[driftdiver]

Well there ya go, the answer to world peace

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This is what comes from the premise that man’s rights are granted by the state.

[Chode]

if i said he looks like a scumbag will JimRob get in trouble???

[Political Junkie Too]

Does that include New York Times headlines?

-PJ

[bigheadfred]

islam is a religion of peace.

Sue away.

[muawiyah]

Well now you can’t say this guy isn’t a fascist

[Puppage]

Sooooo, who defines whats defamatory ???

[bobo1]

anything that offends ME.

bobo

[Jack Hydrazine]

If this happens it’ll certainly make its way across the pond to America! Where ever the UK goes the West follows!

[UCANSEE2]

Is this a part of ‘Islamization’ (new word) of England by allowing people to sue ISP’s for criticizing Mohammed(Muhammad, however you want to spell it) ?

[Puppage]

Hahaha!

[bmwcyle]

He looks like a jerk.

[Tublecane]

“who defines what’s defamatory?”

Statutory law will, vaguely. Judges decide what goes to trial and sets rules for the jury to follow in deliberation. Ultimately, though, what qualifies is up to juries.

[daniel1212]

Anything that offends the liberal mind.