[kictanet] skip the intermediary and sort it out with the user

[Grace Mutung'u (Bomu)]

here's an interesting case on online defamation. retweeters be  warned.
–-------------
Twitter: thousands of users could be involved
in legal action
Lawyers for Lord McAlpine have identified
some 1,000 Twitter comments - re-posted by a
further 9,000 users - they intend to take legal
action against for wrongly linking the Tory
peer with child abuse.
The Independent newspaper reports that around
1,000 original tweets have already been targeted,
while 9,000 retweets – Twitter’s language for re-
posted comments – are also expected to spark
legal action, meaning the case could involve the
largest number of defendants in British legal
history.
Among those targeted are the wife of the
Speaker of the House of Commons, Sally Bercow,
and comedian Alan Davies, who both mentioned
Lord McAlpine on their Twitter accounts.
Charity donations
Around 40 Twitter users have already contacted
the peer to apologise, with reports suggesting
they will be asked to pay £5 to charity. However,
high profile celebrity tweeters could be treated
differently.
Lord McAlpine has already agreed a settlement
of £185,000 with the BBC following its broadcast
of a now-discredited report into sexual abuse
claims at a care home in North Wales, which
prompted the tweets.
The former Tory treasurer has said he would
have pursued the BBC for a higher settlement
but held back as it is publicly funded. He is
expected to chase a larger pay-out from
commercial broadcaster ITV, after a programme
presenter Philip Schofield accidentally showed a
list of alleged paedophiles on camera as he
passed it to UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
Lord McAlpine's solicitor Andrew Reid – who has
reportedly written a 15-page letter to ITV
encouraging settlement -- said the presenter had
'embarrassed the Prime Minister and destroyed
the reputation of my client'.
Disciplinary action
ITV has said it is already taking disciplinary
action following the incident, while the country’s
broadcasting watchdog, Ofcom, has launched its
own investigation into the incident, reports the
BBC.
An ITV spokesman said: ‘We have received
correspondence from Lord McAlpine's
representatives and we will be responding in
due course.’

m.globallegalpost.com/big-stories/mcalpine-fallout-twitter-users-in-line-of-fire-4399488/#.UKuVLNyS50k.facebook


-- 
Grace L.N. Mutung'u (Bomu)
Kenya
Skype: gracebomu
Twitter: @Bomu
Website: http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu