Is this legal? Am I going to get sued for libel or slander or something?

by **abelard29** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:02 am

I was on facebook, and a person I hate commented on my sister's facebook page. So under his comment I commented "That guy is still alive? I thought he died of cancer or AIDS or something. lame." Then I figured out that his dad is a lawyer and he is pissed off at me. Am I going to get sued for something or sent to jail?

by **karlitis** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:08 am

Not likely and you did put in the qualifiers "?" and "thought" so it sounds more like you were asking not informing.

You can't be held libel for a question. Of course, they can still sue you.... it's just very unlikely they will win damages.

by **barraq** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:11 am

uhm, i guess they can sue you for anything but winning is another matter. you can't be sued for what you "thought"... in your statement you are actually saying, "i thought he died of ...". this is not slander. maybe the lawyer is a bigot and he abhors the thought that someone thought his son died of aids.

you definitely wont go to any jail. you committed no crime. you didn't even really slander the person, all you did is state what you "thought"...

by **artek57** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:14 am

uhm, i guess they can sue you for anything but winning is another matter. you can't be sued for what you "thought"... in your statement you are actually saying, "i thought he died of ...". this is not slander. maybe the lawyer is a bigot and he abhors the thought that someone thought his son died of aids.

you definitely wont go to any jail. you committed no crime. you didn't even really slander the person, all you did is state what you "thought"...

The link below will explain libel. It may be a good thing that you wrote "I thought....". That could serve the same purpose as a newspaper that uses "allegedly...." to protect themselves from lawsuits.

by **patwin87** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:22 am

No. If you were sued for libel it is a civil matter not criminal, you can't be sent to jail. They would also need to show damages which they can't.

by **gillian59** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:28 am

No you have a first amendment right to say what ever you want. You just have to deal with the consequences of being labeled (and rightly so) a dick.

by **nemausus36** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:32 am

Ha, don't worry about it. Could anyone reasonable think this person you speak of actually died of cancer or AIDS? If you look at case law look up Hustler Magazine v. Falwell.

by **oakley** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:38 am

Ha, don't worry about it. Could anyone reasonable think this person you speak of actually died of cancer or AIDS? If you look at case law look up Hustler Magazine v. Falwell.

Well the potential is there for "libel", but doubt it could be proven that you harmed his reputation with such an inocuous statement.

by **shaddoc98** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:49 am

No, you can say whatever dumb sh*t you want to on the internet.
I do it all day on Yahoo Answers.

by **egan** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:59 am

No, you've said nothing to slander anybody.

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