The Erosion of Anonymous Internet Speech - Eric J.Sinrod looks at the potential affects and restraints of 'The Communications Act' regarding Americas right to freedom of speech, including being able to speak anonymously on the Internet.

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Malicious messages left by Internet users could start 'real-name system' in Korea. Messages were left by users regarding an article about the death of pro-North activists son. This is a first where user comments along side a news story have been accused of defamation.

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A Canadian judgment against a former president of the local Parent Advisory Council, who allegedly defamed teachers, a parent and a trustee. Susan Halstead was accused of writing emails and posting on her own website to defame individuals, on of which accused an individual of befriending child pornographers, drunkenness and sexual harassment.

Although these sorts of actions can and should not be tolerated, blogs and emails from untrained journalists will never have the journalistic integrity of a trained professional. Journalist have had the treats of libel against in the past to try and silence them (libel chill), but never has such a threat of libel been threatened against a blogger. This judgment could mean websites and bloggers being more careful about publishing what they think is fact, especially about big businesses and corporations.

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The Chartered Institute of Personal and Development have claimed in their recent research that 64% of organisations have experienced staff misuse of Internet and email over the past two years, even though policies have been introduced in an attempt to reduce such abuse.

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The Defamation libel suit brought against Lance Armstrong by fellow cylist Filippo Simeoni have been dismissed due to the expiring of the statute of limitations. The court explained that Simeoni's lawyers had misinterpreted French Law.

However, Armstrong still faces trial in Italy on civil charges of defaming Simeoni.

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An Ohio man is suing two men and the ISP after cliams that he was humilated online by the two participants while chatting in a AOL chatroom causing him emotional distress.

This is an interesting case due to the general immunity from liability that ISP's have in the US.

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According to the Gaurdian "A 156-year-old pillar of libel law prompted by an eccentric German duke which has allowed wealthy foreigners to sue in English courts could be declared obsolete, in a move that would have profound implications for the future of the internet. At present each individual publication of a libel gives rise to a separate cause of action - the so-called multiple publication rule."

This could the lead way to a more US approach to libel law, where they use a single publication rule. This means that there is only one act of publication in which the article first appears and only one cause of global action.

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Forums, "It's an anonymous, poisonous pen" according O'Fallon City Administrator Robert Lowery Jr regarding the use of forums to allow users to debate local politics. The forum has already seen users being sued for defamation.

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