Avoiding libel as a blogger

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 23 people | Log in to rate

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If you've got a blog or you use Squidoo or tweet or publish online, somewhere in the back of your head you need to pay attention to what it means to libel someone.

Glasser on libel 

International Libel and Privacy Handbook: A Global Reference for Journalists, Publishers, Webmasters, and Lawyers, Second Edition

Amazon Price: $36.46 (as of 11/29/2009)Buy Now

This book is not a watered-down simplification, nor is it a child's toy. It is the tool of choice for journalists, publishers and professionals who write about other people.

It's pretty simple: if you ever choose to write about someone in a less than positive light, you can save yourself a great deal of time and money if you'll take a few minutes to read this book first.

Reader Feedback 

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    jfreemon jfreemon Jul 31, 2009 @ 6:54 am
    Definitely enjoyed the lenses and I'll keep it in the back of my mind as a newly-found blogger!
  • Reply
    Cash_Flow Cash_Flow Jul 2, 2009 @ 11:09 am
    this is something fantastic.. thanks for the info..
  • Reply
    CustomSoap CustomSoap May 17, 2009 @ 6:53 pm
    Great lens! Awesome tips! 5 star rating!

    We would love to have you check out our Custom Soap lens!

    Hope to see you there =)
  • Reply
    johnrapp johnrapp Feb 13, 2009 @ 3:03 am
    I didn't realize libel was something to be concerned about as a blogger. That's a good point, but I have a hard time imagining someone suing someone else for words exchanged online. Okay, I can imagine it, but I can't really see them winning the case. But having not read this book, I really don't know much about it.

    I did expect some more content on here for this being your highest rated lens. Why is this so popular, is it the fundraiser thing?
  • Reply
    Coh-Crou Coh-Crou Feb 12, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
    Agreed. Negative things cannot live without the attention we tend to give to them. Focus on the good and it shall breathe instead.
  • Reply
    diannehansen diannehansen Feb 11, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
    Hi Seth,

    You are so important to me! I take to heart what you've said here about libel and your daily blog today was also pertinent to me. "Make the World Smaller" encourages me to live big in my small niche (bipolar health treatment plan, a safety net of sorts). I wish I had your email address because I heard you say that you answer all your hundreds of emails every day!

    You're definitely the best blogger in the world, Seth, and I admire you...
  • Reply
    access2 access2 Feb 10, 2009 @ 3:21 am
    Injurious statements are libelous if they are untrue. Simply put : Don't lie.
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    0ctavias0fferings 0ctavias0fferings Feb 4, 2009 @ 7:24 am
    Often you can safeguard yourself by putting what you would like to say in the form of a question or using 'some people might think' but in the main never say anything you aren't certain can be 100% backed up factually.
    If something is a suspicion without foundation or evidence (urban myth, rumour, grassy knolls etc) then stay away from it, though if there are other folks out there on the internet spreading a rumour you could reference that 'rumour factory' without implying that you agree with it.
    Lateral thinking can get you around most things.
  • Reply
    CCGAL CCGAL Feb 3, 2009 @ 9:29 am
    Wow, ask and ye shall receive. Many thanks for this reference; much appreciated.
  • Reply
    jdpugsle jdpugsle Jan 24, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
    Great lens Seth! Congradulations on making the 100 lenses. That is an achievement that not everyone can do. So, you should be proud. Your a lens master my friend. Now about your lens I was impressed. It was short & sweet. More important it was to the point. There are some many that miss this.

    jdpugsle
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by sethgodin

Seth Godin is the bestselling author of ten books. He writes about marketing, the spread of ideas and managing both customers and employees with respe... (more)
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