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+--- Thread: Is it illegal to post someone's full name in your blog without their consent? (/thread-124440.html)
Is it illegal to post someone's full name in your blog without their consent? - Kyle Monk - 04-03-2014 01:35 PM
And if so what are the limitations? I see a lot of blogs that post facebook status quotes and block out the last name, why is that? Surely if they posted it, it is fact, so can't be construed as slander?
Pulling away from the facebook example... Say someone you knew, regularly beat their wife and this was a fact, could you legally then say on your blog 'John Smith' is a wife beater'. Would it depend on how wide your readership was?
Or is it a case of evidence, eg. He had posted multiple facebook comments saying 'I just beat my wife'. Or multiple Twitter statuses saying the same? Does the intended recipient of those comments matter?
If you were to post someone's full name in a blog discussing them and they were to find out, what would be the possible ramifications?
What makes a celebrity different? They are written about in full all the time, why is it different for normal people?
Would love some in depth answers if possible, I find privacy law fascinating.
To Jeff - I am asking from a journalistic standpoint, with the web 2.0 things have changed and a full name can give you access to many facets of a person's life.
One blog I occasionally read posts the full name and a link to the facebook of the person they are writing about, usually it is an expose on leud behaviour. I was wondering if that is legal and eitherway, what the line is?
- Drama Queen - 04-03-2014 01:39 PM
Celebrities are "public figures" so it is legally allowed to print gossip and other "white lies" about them. However, non-public figures can sue if something printed/posted about them isn't true. However, if it is true, then you are legally allowed to post it. Sometimes, people will block out the names just for the person's privacy preferences, not for legal reasons. Hope this helps!
- Jeff - 04-03-2014 01:46 PM
Whether it is or not, i mean like come on, why use someone elses name? How would you feel if someone used your name? With all do respect my friend, just stay out of other peoples business. I'm sorry if that seemed rude, i mean just like leave other people's stuff alone.
- Zaccarato - 04-03-2014 01:49 PM
No, to my knowledge it is not illegal. Posting more secure information like phone number, address etcetera could be classed as a form of cyber bulling, but would attract little to none of the law enforcement unless it was mass scaled (A whole blog dedicated to posting confidential information)
Also, If the person themselves has posted something on Facebook its (In their eyes) not confidential and they want people to know about it, and possibly, spread it.
- arbiter - 04-03-2014 01:58 PM
You need to be careful about how you say things.
In your example you would only be able to say that John Smith claims on his blog that he is a wife-beater, not that he is.
- Sarky - 04-03-2014 02:02 PM
You can post anything you like.
However, if it is not true and you cannot prove it then you will find yourself in court for libel.