Libel - does it only apply to real names/identities?

[Anthony Parsons]

Web masters however are accountable for all content on their site.

Nope... not even close to correct for Australian law. You have commonsense to use... but you as the site owner are not responsible for libel, unless you're personally doing it.

There is also a vast difference between a static website vs. community based, registrable one, when it comes to responsibility.

Facebook would be in constant hurt if they owned libel for all the nonsense people write on their very public walls, along with most news blogs and so forth.

All countries are still running in circles with laws and the Internet at present, as the www continues to surpass politicians abilities to create laws specific enough for legal clarity.

 

[Slavik]

Nope... not even close to correct for Australian law. You have commonsense to use... but you as the site owner are not responsible for libel, unless you're personally doing it.

Oh, and I appreciate the law here in the UK may differ from elsewhere, but if anyone has any experience or can advise on libel in general it would be appreciated.

English libel law holds that any party that participates in the chain of publication of a defamatory statement can be the target of a lawsuit.

 

[Anthony Parsons]

As you can see Slavik, every country is different.