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I may be sued for libel/defamation. AmA

Basically I called a business owner sexist on Facebook
They're now saying "Facebook are monitoring the situation and have recommended litigation for slander." lol. I think that's bull ****, because I don't think Facebook would ever say that, and I think that Facebook are able to tell the difference between libel and slander

Any how, I'm legitimately looking forward to this court case, because I know I'll win if it went to court - and I'd fly at his expense :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)

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Original post by The_Internet
Basically I called a business owner sexist on Facebook
They're now saying "Facebook are monitoring the situation and have recommended litigation for slander." lol. I think that's bull ****, because I don't think Facebook would ever say that, and I think that Facebook are able to tell the difference between libel and slander

Any how, I'm legitimately looking forward to this court case, because I know I'll win if it went to court - and I'd fly at his expense :smile:


Facebook would never say something like that, ever. :lol: How hard did you laugh at the business owner's insecurity?
Reply 2
What did he say that was sexist?
Isn't this exactly what you should be avoiding considering the nature of the suit?
Original post by iEthan
Facebook would never say something like that, ever. :lol: How hard did you laugh at the business owner's insecurity?


A lot! :biggrin:

Thing is, this is a company that is a financial services company, so as it's regulated by the FSA, it looks like I can complain to them and show them that the owner is sexist

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-1585903/A-guide-complaining-financial-services.html

They're also an appointed representative of another company. I think I'm going to contact them. He has threatened court action. I will happily take him up on that, because I know he'll lose, and he can pay for my flight and any other expenses (Facebook doesn't allow companies to censor reviews, and all the evidence is there :biggrin: )

He wishes to take me to court, and sue me for well..money. I think fair is fair really. He's threatening court action. I don't mind taking him to the cleaners :biggrin: - even if it DOESN'T go to court
Original post by Kvothe the arcane
Isn't this exactly what you should be avoiding considering the nature of the suit?


It's all publicly available information :smile:
Original post by Thomb
What did he say that was sexist?


When referring to the whole high heel debacle, he said "legislation will be just another reason not to employ women" He also said "Sorry but some of our existing discrimination laws to protect women are actively making them less attractive employees" This is why I called him sexist.

It descended in to insults from him, so I decided "I'll post a review on your Facebook page" Simples.

He then posts saying that we (three of us reviewed it) accused him of being racist and sexist. No one called him racist, so I decided, and tbh this was just to rile him up, but hey I had proof - in the reviews, no one called him racist, and I said to him that he's both a) a sexist person b) a liar :biggrin:

@iEthan
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by The_Internet
When referring to the whole high heel debacle, he said "legislation will be just another reason not to employ women" He also said "Sorry but some of our existing discrimination laws to protect women are actively making them less attractive employees" I'd like to see him get around those two comments in court.


You're probably right.
Yep, the evil that is Facebook may be stupid in lots of ways, but I am sure even they know anything posted on evilFacebook can't be slander: that's speech-based defamation. (If you've done anything defamatory there, it's libel.)

So you already know he's lying.

You're unlikely to be worth suing too.
Original post by Thomb
You're probably right.


OK this is gonna sound arrogant but I know I'm right. I also know he's lying
Reply 10
Original post by The_Internet
OK this is gonna sound arrogant but I know I'm right. I also know he's lying


You probably are its just my head is messed up right now and a minimum amount of intelligence is on offer from me ATM. Sorry :colondollar:
Original post by The_Internet
When referring to the whole high heel debacle, he said "legislation will be just another reason not to employ women" He also said "Sorry but some of our existing discrimination laws to protect women are actively making them less attractive employees" This is why I called him sexist.


Yes.

Well, he's correct, obviously, and hasn't said anything particularly embarrassing.
Original post by Onde
Facebook are very slow to do anything even in regards pro-terrorism comments, hideously violent videos, and extreme hate speech. I really doubt they would give someone legal advice over such a comment, especially without hearing from both sides.


Yeah I'm aware of that. They let all sorts stay. They're not against their community standards apparently...

And nah they a) wouldn't and b) they'd know the difference between libel and slander

The owner of this business works in financial services and tbh personally I'd think that honestly if you can't be bothered doing basic research, and when you lie I wouldn't use it :smile:
Original post by The_Internet
When referring to the whole high heel debacle, he said "legislation will be just another reason not to employ women" He also said "Sorry but some of our existing discrimination laws to protect women are actively making them less attractive employees" This is why I called him sexist.

It descended in to insults from him, so I decided "I'll post a review on your Facebook page" Simples.

He then posts saying that we (three of us reviewed it) accused him of being racist and sexist. No one called him racist, so I decided, and tbh this was just to rile him up, but hey I had proof - in the reviews, no one called him racist, and I said to him that he's both a) a sexist person b) a liar :biggrin:


Well he wouldn't really have a leg to stand on. Slander and defamation relies on the premise that its untrue... his own posts contradict that. As such, go you.
Original post by unprinted
Yep, the evil that is Facebook may be stupid in lots of ways, but I am sure even they know anything posted on evilFacebook can't be slander: that's speech-based defamation. (If you've done anything defamatory there, it's libel.)

So you already know he's lying.

You're unlikely to be worth suing too.


Oh yeah. Tbh at first I didn't know, but I decided to look up slander laws on the interwebs, and it didn't take me particularly long to find out the difference between slander and libel, so I did pull him up on that

And yeah it is highly unlikely that he'll actually sue. Tbh, I actually really do want him to try and sue, because then I am so getting a business class plane from Heathrow, to up north (where I assume the court case would be if he does sue), then get a taxi to the venue, and make the taxi driver give me a receipt. Then,food as well, even for the most minor food items, because..principle. But you're correct it's highly unlikely that he will even go ahead and sue me, because he knows I have proof, and he knows that I told the public that he's sexist

He just cried, when I posted a negative review on his Facebook page :biggrin: I shall eventually be reporting him to the FSA, and the company that he is an appointed representative of!
Original post by The_Internet
Oh yeah. Tbh at first I didn't know, but I decided to look up slander laws on the interwebs, and it didn't take me particularly long to find out the difference between slander and libel, so I did pull him up on that

And yeah it is highly unlikely that he'll actually sue. Tbh, I actually really do want him to try and sue, because then I am so getting a business class plane from Heathrow, to up north (where I assume the court case would be if he does sue), then get a taxi to the venue, and make the taxi driver give me a receipt. Then,food as well, even for the most minor food items, because..principle. But you're correct it's highly unlikely that he will even go ahead and sue me, because he knows I have proof, and he knows that I told the public that he's sexist

He just cried, when I posted a negative review on his Facebook page :biggrin: I shall eventually be reporting him to the FSA, and the company that he is an appointed representative of!


Here we have a google litigator.

Yes, I'm sure the court will just grant you whatever artificially inflated costs you wish, even in what would likely be a very low value matter.

I'm not a defamation expert (although I've been acquainted with it a little more closely than through two or three minutes on google), but it's at least possible that he has a reasonable argument. Your calling him sexist would cause most people to assume that he's done or said something more serious than what you can actually prove he said, namely that some regulations and laws make women less attractive prospects as employees to companies as a generality. I do not know for sure whether that argument would wash in a court today, but it is certainly not so clear as you seem to think that your 'proof' demonstrates the truth of your claim.
Original post by TimmonaPortella
Here we have a google litigator.

Yes, I'm sure the court will just grant you whatever artificially inflated costs you wish, even in what would likely be a very low value matter.

I'm not a defamation expert (although I've been acquainted with it a little more closely than through two or three minutes on google), but it's at least possible that he has a reasonable argument. Your calling him sexist would cause most people to assume that he's done or said something more serious than what you can actually prove he said, namely that some regulations and laws make women less attractive prospects as employees to companies as a generality. I do not know for sure whether that argument would wash in a court today, but it is certainly not so clear as you seem to think that your 'proof' demonstrates the truth of your claim.

He also said "Its just another reason not to employ women" That's pretty sexist
It's one thing to say they'll sue you, it's another to do it. Some people just like blow hot air. Take George Galloway for example.
Original post by ivybridge
Well he wouldn't really have a leg to stand on. Slander and defamation relies on the premise that its untrue... his own posts contradict that. As such, go you.


Pretty much. He has made sexist comments, then deleted his profile when questioned about it. I don't think he expected me to keep screenshots.
Reply 19
I wouldn't say he was particularly sexist, just honest. He made it clear that the problem lies within the laws/legislation, it's not about the gender in and of itself.

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