Can a person be held liable for defamatory statements made on a third-party website?

Yes, a person can be held liable for defamatory statements made on a third-party website in Virginia. Defamation law in Virginia addresses both libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements) that harm a person’s reputation. This includes any communication that is false and harms a person’s professional or personal standing in the community. In Virginia, a person who makes defamatory statements on a third-party website can be held liable for damages in a court of law. For instance, a person might be held liable for posting a false statement about another person’s character, professional abilities, or health on a website or social media platform. The statement must be false and harm the person in some way for the individual to be held liable. It is important to note that the individual who makes the defamatory statement may be held liable even if they are not the website’s owner. This is because the individual is responsible for the statement they post regardless of who owns the website. In order to protect oneself from the risk of liability, one should always be mindful of what they are posting online. It is important to double-check the accuracy of the statements and make sure that, even if the statement is true, it cannot be interpreted as damaging to another person’s reputation. If unsure, it is best to err on the side of caution and take extra steps to ensure that the statement is not defamatory.

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Can a person be held liable for defamatory statements made on a third-party website?

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