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Posted on November 1, 2006 on TCPalm.com
People who may believe they can say whatever they want on
the Internet should consider a recent verdict in a Florida
courtroom.
A jury awarded the head of a children's services referral
company $11.3 million in damages in one of the largest-ever
awards in an Internet defamation suit, according to The
Associated Press.
The suit was filed in 2003 by Sue Scheff of Weston, founder
of Parent's Universal Resource Experts, after a former
client, Carey Bock of Louisiana, posted comments on the
Internet calling Scheff a "con artist" and a "fraud."
Such language is mild compared to many comments and rants
posted on various Internet sites. But, making defaming
comments on the Internet is no different than making such
comments in other public arenas, the jury found.
"Just because you don't like someone or what they do, it
does not give you carte blanche to post false statements
about a person on the Internet," Scheff told the AP.
David H. Pollack, Scheff's attorney, said, "You can't just
destroy somebody's life, destroy somebody's reputation and
make blatant false statements about somebody and have there
be no consequences."
The $11.3 million judgment against Bock included $5 million
in punitive damages.
The message should be clear. While the Internet may be an
easy place to vent anger or frustration at people or
agencies, what is posted can come back to cause even more
problems for the person posting.
Internet defamation suits are rare so far, but if the jury
award in Florida helps set a precedent, more such suits can
be expected.
So, say what you want in private. But, if you go into a
public site on the Internet, be cautious — and act civilly.
The person you are attacking may also be watching the site
with an attorney only a phone call away.
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