UK’s New Defamation Act Has Been In Effect Nearly Two Years, and Traditional Defamation Suits Down, But Those Based on Social Media Up

According to The Guardian, defamation actions in the UK based on social media statements are rising slightly, even though a new Defamation Act that went into force last year has caused the total number of defamation lawsuits to drop.  Generally, businesses now seem to shy away from filing defamation suits, but individuals now file defamation suits based on social media interactions. One commentator, lawyer Harry Kinmonth, noted that such an increase is not surprising. People are more likely to find themselves the subject of Twitter or Facebook stories than traditional newspaper stories, and social media stories spread more quickly. More here from The Guardian.