Intellectual Property, Internet & Entertainment
Browse published legal information questions related to Intellectual Property, Internet & Entertainment.
How do I calculate damages for online defamation against my small business?
For a small business, damages in an online defamation claim are usually about showing the money loss and other harm that may have flowed from the false statement. In general, the starting point is to identify what was sa...
Can I sue if a competitor bought ads linking my name to fraud accusations?
In general, possibly yes, but it depends heavily on what the ads said, how they were presented, who bought them, and what harm you can show. A competitor’s paid ads that connect your name to fraud accusations may raise l...
What are my rights if someone falsely accused my teenager of a crime on Snapchat?
If someone falsely accused your teenager of a crime on Snapchat, you may have several possible concerns, depending on what was posted, who saw it, and whether it caused harm. In general, false statements that accuse a pe...
Do I have to show actual malice if I am a local business owner?
In Rhode Island, the answer is usually: it depends on the kind of claim, the statement at issue, and whether you are treated as a public figure, limited-purpose public figure, or private person for defamation purposes. A...
What happens if someone outside my state posted lies about me online?
If someone outside New Hampshire posted false statements about you online, the situation may still matter in New Hampshire if the harm was felt here. In general, internet posts can create issues in more than one state be...
Can I sue over defamatory comments made during a livestream?
In general, yes, it may be possible to sue over defamatory comments made during a livestream if the statements meet the legal requirements for defamation. But whether a claim exists usually depends on what was said, how...
What are my rights if a fake account is impersonating me and posting racist comments?
If a fake account is impersonating you and posting racist comments, you may have several possible legal and practical options, depending on the facts. In general, impersonation and hateful posts can affect your reputatio...
What happens if the online statement was partly true but included false details?
In general, a statement can still create legal problems even if part of it is true. In Connecticut, as in many states, the legal issue is often not whether every word was false, but whether the overall message was mislea...
Can I sue if a podcast host falsely accused me of running a Ponzi scheme?
In Utah, a false accusation on a podcast may sometimes lead to a defamation claim, depending on what was said, how it was presented, and whether it caused harm. An accusation that someone ran a Ponzi scheme is serious be...
How do I respond legally to a defamatory post without making things worse?
In general, the safest response to a potentially defamatory post is to slow down, preserve evidence, and avoid posting an emotional reply right away. A public argument can sometimes amplify the post, create new conflicts...
Do I have to ask the platform to preserve evidence before the post disappears?
In general, if you think an online post, message, account record, or platform log may matter in a legal dispute, it is often a good idea to think about preservation early. Once content disappears, gets deleted, or change...
Can I sue a website for refusing to remove defamatory comments posted by users?
In New Jersey, the answer is often complicated and depends heavily on who posted the content, what the website did, and whether federal law applies. In general, websites are often protected from liability for user-genera...
How do I prove damages from a viral false post about my business?
If a false post about your business goes viral, proving damages usually means showing a connection between the post and a real loss. In general, that can include lost sales, canceled contracts, reduced bookings, lower we...
Is it defamation if someone says “I think” before making a false factual accusation online in Indiana?
In general, adding the words “I think” does not automatically protect a person from a defamation claim in Indiana. If an online statement still communicates a false factual accusation, a court may look at the whole conte...
Do I have to prove who wrote the anonymous defamatory post before filing a lawsuit?
In general, you do not always need to know the anonymous poster’s real identity before starting a defamation case, but you usually do need enough information to describe the defamation claim and ask the court for help id...