News Report using Twitter quite, potentially libel

[henrygregory]

Good morning and Happy New Year all.

I recently wrote a very harmless but frustrated tweet about a road being closed for 8 hours. To my disgust, my local news paper have written an article and included (amoung other) my quote from the night and a number of other local road user's. One of the titles of their report compares these people to "the worst of humanity". I find this incredibly insensitive which was what their article was supposed to be making me and others out to be.

I have had to change details on my online account as I am fearful people who read the article and view my personal account, may be able to work out who I am and where I live.

Can an anyone tell me if their quoting myself and referencing me to the worst of humanity would be deemed as libellous as I really am extremely upset about it.

Many thanks.

[nemesis45]

Re: News Report using Twitter quite, potentially libel

Good morning and Happy New Year all.

I recently wrote a very harmless but frustrated tweet about a road being closed for 8 hours. To my disgust, my local news paper have written an article and included (amoung other) my quote from the night and a number of other local road user's. One of the titles of their report compares these people to "the worst of humanity". I find this incredibly insensitive which was what their article was supposed to be making me and others out to be.

I have had to change details on my online account as I am fearful people who read the article and view my personal account, may be able to work out who I am and where I live.

Can an anyone tell me if their quoting myself and referencing me to the worst of humanity would be deemed as libellous as I really am extremely upset about it.

Many thanks.

Why was the road closed? Due to a tragic accident perhaps?

nem

[Amethyst]

Re: News Report using Twitter quite, potentially libel

Twitter can be quoted and retweeted - reposted anywhere, and in pretty much any context. Many drivers tweet about road closures, often unaware that the delay is caused by a fatal or near fatal accident. I've tweeted before about being stuck on a train, I had no idea it was becuase someone had jumped on the track further down the line... we've been stuck in traffic because a man was threatning to jump off a bridge - if you don't know you can't modify your annoyance at being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end.... and so on.

The 'worst of humanity' isn't specifically aimed at you (presumably there are a number of tweets published) and is opinion, it isn't accusing you of anything specific, you don't own the copyright over the tweet (mostly there are exceptions but a comment about being annoyed at a road closure wouldn't be capable of being copyrighted) - publishing your twitterhandle could cause problems if the article had said something like 'tweets by paedophiles' as that would be factual not opinion.

I think we'd probably need to see the article in question to have any idea if it is capable of being defamatory, but initially I would think not.