Freedom of Speech over the Internet
Currently if someone makes a defamatory remark about an individual in a chatroom/on a public message forum, the host of that chatroom/message board can be held liable and can face legal action from the individual/organization who is being defamed. Recently a popular parenting website has been threatened with legal action and/or closure because of views expressed about an individual by its members. While we feel that individuals should in some way be held accountable for their own actions, we do not feel that third parties such as web hosts and Internet Service Providers should face legal action because of the views expressed by those who use them. Doing this could be compared to closing down a pub because one member said something nasty to another one. It wouldn\'t happen in that situation, so why should it happen over the internet We want a change in the law to ensure that no action can be taken against websites/internet Service Providers/chatrooms or any other third party for the views that are being expressed by its members. Our aim is to send this petition to the Home Office on 1 January 2007.
Comment