Magnifying the Little Guy’s Voice

Found via Alltop (archived: 2019) –

Advice To Any Attorney Contemplating Filing A Suite Against A Blogger

Yes, if there is a clear libel or defamation (hopefully supported by bulletproof evidence), you should probably do what you do the best- be a good attorney and protect your client. However often it may be a case that your client have mistakenly perceived as libel and defamation something that has more to do with public relations. (It would be good idea to have handy phone numbers of good PR firms for such cases). Pulling the trigger with legal action or even a cease and desist letter can have an effect of pouring fuel into a fire.

Chances are that you will be dealing with a small time blogger and soon will be perceived as a bully. The blogger on the other hand will be viewed as a “David fighting Goliath”. Not to many people are impressed with bullies and when it’s time to “cross swords” majority will side with the “little man”.

Bloggers as a group are very sensitive when it comes to their rights. And they tend to stick together by writing about you and your client hundreds of posts scrutinizing your clients business and even founding defense funds to help the blogger in trouble. (ed. note: bolding mine)

For a great example of what a relatively small group of real estate bloggers feel about their rights being trampled on, see what they think about Todd Kaufman, the Loudoun County Assessor (who was in the news again recently (archived: 2009)). – Note that this example is from nearly a year ago – the internet never forgets)