Workplace Defamation: Groupchats And Private Messages (Video)

Article Summary

Workplace messages sent through WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Signal, text messages, or other private chat platforms can give rise to defamation claims in Queensland, even if they are only seen by a small group of colleagues.

The law focuses on whether a defamatory statement was communicated to at least one other person and whether it causes, or is likely to cause, serious harm to the subject’s reputation, not on whether it was published publicly.

In this article, our defamation lawyers explain when workplace messages become defamatory, how courts assess publication, meaning, identification, and the serious harm requirement, and why allegations of dishonesty, fraud, harassment, or misconduct in internal chats can expose individuals and, in some cases, employers to legal liability.