What is the limit of a person’s responsibility regarding third-party comments?

In Pennsylvania, a person is not generally responsible for third-party comments unless they negligently published the comment or encouraged it. Negligently publishing a comment means that the person was aware or should have been aware of the potential harm that the comment may cause. For example, if a person posts a comment on their social media page, they may not be aware that someone else may make a defamatory comment below the post. In this case, they have not negligently published the comment and are not responsible for it. However, if a person encourages a third-party to make a defamatory comment, they may be held liable. Encouragement can include posting content that may provoke a defamatory comment or interacting with a third-party’s comment in a way that could be seen as an endorsement. The law also states that any individual who continues to publish a third-party’s defamatory comment after learning that it is false or knowing it to be false from the start, may be held liable for defamation. In summary, Pennsylvania defamation law states that a person is not responsible for a third-party’s comments unless they negligently published the comment or encouraged it, or continued to publish it after learning it was false.

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What is the limit of a person’s responsibility regarding third-party comments?

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