With the dramatic rise in the use of social media, it is inevitable that false statements by social media users, harming third parties’ reputations, can lead to legal action.
Defamation can take place in a number of ways. Comments or images that are untrue and harmful can result in the victim taking proceedings seeking damages.
To be successful in a defamation claim, there are rules that require comments or images to be published.
The laws around Australian States vary, however, the above matters are to be considered by all jurisdictions when determining a finding of defamation.
The takeaway in all of this is to be very careful about what you say in social media and should you feel you have been defamed on social media, document the content and quickly seek legal advice.
These comments are not all encompassing and there are other detailed rules. This is just a general guide to make individuals think twice before making untrue comments or sending images that could harm reputations.