Defamation On Social Networking Websites

Introduction

With the proliferation of social networking websites ("SNW") and their widespread use, especially amongst the youth, one observes certain legal loopholes in their operation and use. On the one hand, while such SNWs provide an easy to use, convenient and cost effective way of networking (whether at a personal level or for commercial reasons), however the flip side present the drawback of such SNWs. One such glaring drawback is the opportunity they provide for "cyber-defamation" or "virtual defamation" to mushroom. This brief article seeks to highlight the said aspect of SNWs and also attempts to analyse

1. the liabilities that may arise in respect of such "cyber-defamation"; and