The Internet is, by and large, the place where most individuals spend a large part of their day.Recent surveys have found that, on average, Canadians spend around six hours per day using the internet. Given how much time we spend using the Internet, it is not surprising that many have taken to … [Read more...]
Think Before You Post – A Primer on Online Defamation
Posting online can lead to a defamation claim if the statement refers to an identifiable person, is communicated to someone else, and may lower the target's reputation in the minds of others.On the internet, anyone can make written statements that may potentially be viewed by a large … [Read more...]
2021 Employment Law Alberta Year in Review
The courts released several important employment law decisions in Alberta in 2021, including about bonuses, just cause, defamation and constructive dismissal.This article summarizes several important employment law decisions in Alberta in 2021. This article does not focus on cases from other … [Read more...]
Posting Perils: Defamation in the social media era
Social media and the Internet have raised new issues in defamation law and challenged Canadian courts.U.S. Congresswoman Taylor Greene was in the news recently for posting controversial comments on Facebook about Democrats and the FBI. In response to a CNN article about these comments, Greene … [Read more...]
Kent v Postmedia: The Largest Individual Defamation Award Given in Alberta
On June 8, 2016, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta released a 60-page ruling in the cases of Kent v. Martin, and Kent v. Postmedia, awarding $150,000 in general damages for the print publication of a defamatory article, and a further $50,000 for continuing online publication. Costs of the legal … [Read more...]
Defamation by Hyperlink
Introduction The Supreme Court of Canada’s 2011 decision in the case of Crookes v. Newton is a prime example of how individual rights as ephemeral as reputation must be balanced with other freedoms, such as expression, in this powerful, evolving medium of the Internet. Facts Website owner Jon … [Read more...]
