{"id":22788,"date":"2025-04-16T05:38:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T05:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/?p=22788"},"modified":"2025-04-18T09:57:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T09:57:54","slug":"the-different-facets-of-online-defamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/the-different-facets-of-online-defamation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Different Facets of Online Defamation"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row_content&#8221; el_id=&#8221;blogmain&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1670237436707{padding-right: 10% !important;}&#8221;][vc_column css_animation=&#8221;slideInLeft&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243; el_id=&#8221;leftsection&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#one\">Introduction<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#two\">Classification of Defamation and its Types<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#three\">What is Online Defamation?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#four\">Peculiar Nature of the Internet and its Impact on Defamation<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#five\">Rebuilding from the Aftermath<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#six\">Conclusion<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"scrollTo\" href=\"#seven\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243; el_id=&#8221;rightsection&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Overview<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online Defamation could be in the form of slander (oral statements) and libel (written statements).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the arrival of the internet, defamation has overgrown its traditional boundaries and ventured into the digital arena.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This type of defamation occurs when false statements about an individual\/entity are published on the internet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rebuilding from the damages caused requires a targeted Online Reputation Management (ORM) campaign.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;one&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>Identity makes an individual and reputation is an inalienable aspect of an individual&#8217;s identity. Reputation is considered their valuable property under the common law of torts. Defamation amounts to a direct interference with this property and is thus actionable ipso facto.<\/p>\n<p>Online defamation can be defined as a civil wrong which infringes the reputation of an individual. It strikes at the very foundation of an individual\u2019s identity making it actionable in law.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221;][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;cta-1-left&#8221; width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1654853436250{margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 40px !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/background-cta.png?id=13450) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;border-radius: 20px !important;}&#8221;][vc_text_separator title=&#8221;Related&#8221; title_align=&#8221;separator_align_left&#8221; align=&#8221;align_left&#8221; color=&#8221;custom&#8221; border_width=&#8221;2&#8243; el_width=&#8221;10&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785099614{padding-bottom: 2% !important;}&#8221; accent_color=&#8221;#03315d&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Internet Defamation&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%2303315d&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:900%20bold%20regular%3A900%3Anormal&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueoceanglobaltech.com%2Fblog%2Finternet-defamation%2F|target:_blank&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Read More&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#03315d&#8221; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; align=&#8221;left&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;border-btm-btn&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueoceanglobaltech.com%2Fblog%2Finternet-defamation%2F|target:_blank&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;cta-1-right&#8221; width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1654853237778{padding-top: 22px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 40px !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;border-radius: 20px !important;}&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;22803&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785078868{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;padding-top: 15px !important;padding-right: 38px !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;padding-left: 38px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;two&#8221;][vc_column_inner el_id=&#8221;one&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_id=&#8221;two&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Classification of Online Defamation and its Types<\/h2>\n<p>Legally speaking, defamation can fall under two types of wrongs &#8211; a tort, and\/or a crime. Defamation as a tort is complete when, firstly, false and defamatory statements are made against an individual. And secondly, when such statements are published to an individual other than the Plaintiff.<\/p>\n<p>Defamation as a crime is premised on the existence of requisite mens rea or malice while making defamatory statements. Defamation is actionable as a tort but some states designate it as a criminal offense on the statute.<\/p>\n<p>Further, defamation consists of both slander or oral statements and libel or written statements. The same classification applies to defamation as well.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_22793\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22793\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22793\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20064236_52Z_2110.w012.n001.9B.p12.9-1.jpg\" alt=\"Online-Defamation-is-a-civil-wrong-which-infringes-the-reputation-of-an-individual\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20064236_52Z_2110.w012.n001.9B.p12.9-1.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20064236_52Z_2110.w012.n001.9B.p12.9-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20064236_52Z_2110.w012.n001.9B.p12.9-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20064236_52Z_2110.w012.n001.9B.p12.9-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22793\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-vector\/flat-girl-with-magnifying-glass-scanning-check-news-smartphone-spreading-fake-news-concept-hoax-internet-social-media-untruth-information-spread_20064236.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=3&amp;uuid=7425901c-712f-4e80-aebe-94a7bb14605f&amp;query=defamation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">freepik.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;three&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>What is Online Defamation?<\/h2>\n<p>Given the advent of the internet, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/online-defamation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">defamation<\/a> has surpassed its traditional boundaries and ventured into the digital realm. Internet defamation takes place when false statements about an individual\/entity are published on the internet. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/bloggers\/legal\/liability\/defamation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">defamation law<\/a>, this form of defamation includes both written or published and oral or spoken false statements in the digital realm. It can take various forms, such as false content on websites, misinformation, or even <a href=\"https:\/\/redline.digital\/fake-news-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fake news<\/a>. This may lead to considerable reputational and economic losses coupled with deep <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/emotional-distress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">emotional distress<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1654079830380{background-color: #0b4c89 !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;cta-2-sec&#8221;][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;cta-2&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1654084713893{background-image: url(https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Group-338.png?id=13390) !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Looking for an Online Defamation Expert for Your Case?&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785116921{padding-bottom: 2% !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785125146{padding-bottom: 2% !important;}&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meet our professional team of global experts to help you navigate the process.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;Schedule a Call&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785134434{margin-right: 50px !important;margin-left: 50px !important;padding-top: 2% !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;solid-button-1&#8243; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Fblue-ocean-global-team|target:_blank&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Contact Us&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785143950{margin-right: 50px !important;margin-left: 50px !important;padding-top: 2% !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;solid-button-1&#8243; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueoceanglobaltech.com%2Fcontact-us%2F|target:_blank&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;four&#8221;][vc_column_inner el_id=&#8221;two&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Peculiar Nature of the Internet and its Impact on Online Defamation<\/h2>\n<p>The Internet has a peculiar nature: permanent and quick with a hyperthymesiac memory. Generally speaking, the internet has a very wide audience and a high potential to trespass territorial boundaries. This is evident from a 2023 report by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/en\/ITU-D\/Statistics\/pages\/stat\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">International Telecommunication Union<\/a>, a UN agency, which outlines that a massive 5.4 billion people, or 67% of the global population, are using the internet. This shows how the nature of internet defamation can have disastrous and lasting consequences for one\u2019s reputation.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;five&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Rebuilding from the Aftermath of Online Defamation<\/h2>\n<p>The present digital age demands a guarded online presence. Spread of false and egregious statements online could be fatal to an individual personal and professional reputation. The emergence of social media paves the way for circulation of negative content and false information instantly. Rebuilding requires a targeted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/capabilities\/reputation-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Online Reputation Management<\/a> (ORM) campaign. This starts with building a strong and positive online presence. Effectively and continuously monitoring mentions of your identity and brand on the internet is the obvious next step. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/capabilities\/public-relations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Public relations firms<\/a> and digital reputation specialists focus on the reduction and removal of online content to repair your online profile.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_22794\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22794\" style=\"width: 601px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22794\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/98441-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Online-defamation-leads-to-emotional-and-financial-losses\" width=\"601\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/98441-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/98441-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/98441-1.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22794\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-photo\/social-media-troll-harassing-people-social-media_13463116.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=0&amp;uuid=8b9f436e-4709-40f2-a015-fa68ed3ac33b&amp;query=Internet+defamation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Freepik.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;six&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Online defamation can prove to be disastrous. The permanent and unforgiving nature of the internet only makes matters worse. A timely and targeted Online Reputation Management strategy is essential to mitigate its negative effects.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=&#8221;seven&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Is defamation a criminal offense?<\/h3>\n<p>Generally speaking, defamation is a civil matter (tort)). However, defamation is characterized as a criminal offense in some states of the US. However, these are rarely enforced due to the presence of the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<h3>2. How to fight Online Defamation?<\/h3>\n<p>In such a lawsuit, it is advisable to consult an internet defamation attorney. Additionally, for the estimation of reputational and other non-quantifiable damages, an expert witness in damage valuation can be employed.<\/p>\n<h3>3. How do I get a defamatory website taken down?<\/h3>\n<p>A defamation lawsuit needs to be filed, upon which it must be proved before the court that the said website was defamatory. The court order asking the website to be taken down needs to be submitted to the hosting provider.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1654856910875{background-image: url(https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Rectangle-102.png?id=13271) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;border-radius: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_inner el_class=&#8221;cta-3-2 cta-3-1 cta-3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Want to Strengthen Your Online Assets and Secure Your Digital Presence?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:40|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744785216905{padding-top: 2% !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;We are here to curate a customized roadmap to meet your desired goals.&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:p|font_size:18|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:300%20light%20regular%3A300%3Anormal&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1744783143999{padding-bottom: 12px !important;}&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Request a Call Back&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1732185592396{margin-right: 50px !important;margin-left: 50px !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;solid-button-1 popmake-17237&#8243; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueoceanglobaltech.com%2Fcontact-us%2F|target:_blank&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Send Us an Email&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1732275617524{margin-right: 50px !important;margin-left: 50px !important;}&#8221; el_class=&#8221;border-button-2 border-button-2-dark&#8221; link=&#8221;url:mailto%3A%20info%40blueoceanglobaltech.com|target:_blank&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are a team of global professionals committed to learning, excellence and helping our clients achieve optimal results. We appreciate your sense of urgency and value your most precious asset \u2013 reputation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":22808,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,51,545,42],"tags":[296,304,307,804,119,32],"class_list":["post-22788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-online-reputation-management","category-reputation-management","category-social-media","tag-defamation","tag-defamation-law","tag-emotional-distress","tag-international-telecommunication-union","tag-online-defamation","tag-online-reputation-management","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22788"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22844,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22788\/revisions\/22844"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blueoceanglobaltech.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}