Strange coincidence..... I am sure your questions would not be the ones they expected.
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Internet debate made the difference to the court!
excerpts:
In the eyes of the law, public figures are usually politicians or celebrities, who have limited rights to claim that they've been libeled or defamed, thanks to a 1964 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Among other things, Cole said plaintiff Eliza Thomas had become a public figure because there had been "substantial public debate" regarding her and her husband on the internet.
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In the wake of the Terri Schiavo debate, which also took place in Florida, Thomas' case is controversial enough.
But there's a twist: The state attorney general's office is investigating whether Thomas had something to do with her husband's injuries, raising the prospect of criminal charges. Thomas claims her husband was injured when he tripped over a dog in the kitchen.
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"It's sort of judicial recognition of the importance of internet news," Gabel said. "It shows the power of individuals on the internet."
Judges often will look at media coverage to see if someone fits the criteria to be a public figure. But in the Thomas case, there hadn't been any traditional media coverage; only internet denizens had been involved.
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