General Discussion

Tommy_Carcetti

(44,579 posts)

22. Again, see false light defamation.

Mon Sep 16, 2013, 05:53 PM

Sep 2013

If not you being held liable personally, DU could potentially be held liable for your actions by providing the forum for your false statements.

In this particular instance, the poster posted a picture of an individual who had the same name as the identified suspect (but whom police had not yet released any photos identifying). That poster then openly speculated that this was in fact the suspect involved in the shootings.

Thankfully for DU's sake, the person identified in the picture ultimately did turn out to be the same person identified by police as the suspect in the shooting.

However, had the poster been wrong and police identified someone who wasn't the same person in the picture posted on DU, someone would have been wrongfully associated with a horrific act. And with the magic of Google, anyone in the world could have picked it up. Potential employers, friends, family members, romantic partners, what have you.

Do you even understand the problem here and why acting like a slick Internet detective without the proper tools is reckless behavior?

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DU should win a journalism award! Again the images of the shooter were posted hours before [View all] Lint Head Sep 2013 OP

Thanks. Actually I was wrong to post that and did delete but LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #1

I can now see why you got fired from CNN Jeff In Milwaukee Sep 2013 #4

Yup. I jumped the gun, I was just so eager to provide as much info as I could because I know LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #7

why? I don't understand that....You were doing investigative journalism. You never said you were VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #6

That's just as bad. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #8

this is just a site on the Internet...its purpose is to discuss the news... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #9

It's pretty reckless behavior when you attach a name and a face to an accusation... Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #10

You are not understanding that this is a forum.. VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #12

Legally speaking, "publication" need not be in a newspaper, book or magazine. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #13

This is a forum....you won't be using what you post here on your resume.... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #14

We are not "reporting" news...we are discussing it... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #15

If what you suggest were true...we wouldn't be able to discuss this in our own homes without being VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #16

Third party publication. That's all it takes. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #20

You don't need to be a member of the news media to defame someone. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #18

no you don't but you still have freedom of speech. VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #19

You used the word "speculation" THAT is what makes it different than what you are describing... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #21

Again, see false light defamation. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #22

No you cannot....that is ridiculous... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #23

You're confusing libel defamation with false light defamation. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #25

see here: VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #24

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth. Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #28

No I am not... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #29

Post 6. You claim the poster who posted the picture was "doing investigative journalism." Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #36

Getting posts hidden is also not productive behavior, LOL. LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #30

You don't have to worry...it was erroneous information... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #32

Oh, thank you, not worried at all, especially now my husband is home safe and sound. LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #34

And that poster just loves to argue, so ignore might be your friend at some point if you tire of it. LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #39

Thanks good to know... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #42

Thanks friend! LiberalLoner Sep 2013 #43

Sending harassing IMs is certainly not productive behavior. nt Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #52

I agree gopiscrap Sep 2013 #2

standards for Major News outlets should be higher than online forums , remember what happened during JI7 Sep 2013 #3

20/20 hindsight is always the best, isn't it? Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #5

speed isn't everything Enrique Sep 2013 #11

I was watching CNN and DU had the guy's name way before CNN did. nt Nay Sep 2013 #17

At least a Pulitzer for investigative journalism concerning 3-Dimensional Chess politics NoOneMan Sep 2013 #26

Some people just cannot understand the concept of 3-dimensional chess... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #27

Its a fictional justification to explain overtly non-conducive behavior to ones political ideology NoOneMan Sep 2013 #31

Huh? You think everything is straight forward in politics? hahahahahahahahahahaha VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #37

So Obama is a Kochian plant bent on destroying American Liberalism? Oh noes! NoOneMan Sep 2013 #45

WTF are you smoking? VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #47

Do you not understand the multidimensional Chess game? NoOneMan Sep 2013 #49

So sad when folks lose their minds politically....just very very sad indeed. VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #51

Not to mention the pending indictment of Karl Rove alcibiades_mystery Sep 2013 #40

Are you referring to the sealed indictment (thruth out/Jason Leopold)? NoOneMan Sep 2013 #46

No. Glassunion Sep 2013 #33

DU should get an award for taking information from twitter or somewhere else and posting it here? DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #35

Uh it wasn't wrong Lanza WAS using his brother's ID... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #38

Yes it was wrong. It was reported here and in the media that Ryan was the shooter. DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #41

WE are just chatting in an Internet forum. This is not the same thing....we are discussing the news. VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #44

Your arguments aren't even addressing my points at all. Why don't you go argue with the DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #48

It wasn't "wrong" it was a mistake....because the shooter intentionally misidentified himself VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #53

Yes it was wrong. DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #54

I did.... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #55

Obviously you didn't... DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #56

Obviously, you don't know that... VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #57

Sure thing buddy. Shouldn't you be somewhere defending the NSA and arguing for war? DesMoinesDem Sep 2013 #58

Shouldn't you be looking for a book of matches for your next Hair on Fire ODS breakdown? VanillaRhapsody Sep 2013 #60

No. DU is a firehose, spewing anything and everything. X_Digger Sep 2013 #50

Google searches and browsing Facebook pages no more make one an "investigative journalist".... Tommy_Carcetti Sep 2013 #59