Telegraph shuts down MP's blog
Legal action by the Telegraph has resulted in the blog of tory MP Nadine Dorries being shut down, the Guardian reports.
The paper's lawyers moved against the blog's host rather than Ms Dorries herself. The 1996 Defamation Act was supposed to prevent this type of action. The section 1 defence protects people (such as internet hosts) who publish libellous statements but who are not directly responsible for creating the libel.
The problem is that the defence is conditional on the internet host taking all reasonable measures to stop a libel being propagated. If the libel is drawn to the internet host's attention, then they have to do something about it. The usual response is to delete the offending material without contacting the author.
In this case, the internet service provider has taken the entire blog off line.
The paper's lawyers moved against the blog's host rather than Ms Dorries herself. The 1996 Defamation Act was supposed to prevent this type of action. The section 1 defence protects people (such as internet hosts) who publish libellous statements but who are not directly responsible for creating the libel.The problem is that the defence is conditional on the internet host taking all reasonable measures to stop a libel being propagated. If the libel is drawn to the internet host's attention, then they have to do something about it. The usual response is to delete the offending material without contacting the author.
In this case, the internet service provider has taken the entire blog off line.
Labels: Media law
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