The main characteristics of online slander

Compared with traditional libel, online libel has more distinct characteristics, and the control of online libel is more likely to lead to the value conflict between citizens' freedom of speech and citizens' right of reputation. In practice, there are great differences in identification, so it is very important to determine crime and non-crime and even imputation through specific circumstances.

The appearance of Internet will affect many aspects of traditional libel law, especially transnational litigation. Compared with traditional publishing and broadcasting technologies, the Internet is more popular and convenient, and information exchange is faster and more convenient, which greatly improves citizens' freedom of speech.

Network communication can easily cross national boundaries. For example, a defendant living in the United States may send libel information to the United Kingdom. If the defendant defends in a jurisdiction (Britain) where libel suits are beneficial to the plaintiff, then the defendant may have to restrain his speech in order to comply with the laws of the plaintiff's country that are more restrictive on speech. Theoretically, the plaintiff who has suffered online libel can bring a lawsuit against the defamator in a jurisdiction favorable to him (Britain) and a jurisdiction favorable to the defendant (such as the United States).

For a government with more restrictions on freedom of speech and news media serving political parties, online slander is undoubtedly a terrible thing. If dissidents want to spread slanderous information to their motherland, they can do it easily through the Internet and can do it from far away. It is even difficult for slandered government officials to find the source of slander. Traditional media information is mainly provided by the government, and the policies formulated by the government and government officials themselves have become the objects that everyone can comment on on the Internet.