Defamation may be defined as any written or oral statement that casts aspersions on the character of someone. It sometimes becomes difficult to draw a distinction between defamatory statement and the right of free expression. Defamation may be of two varieties - libel and slander. Libel involves the publishing of an untrue or distorted fact to intentionally damage one’s character. Slander is the oral expression of a falsehood to intentionally damage one’s character.
Many of us may not be aware that a system operator (SYSOP) is the person or body that is responsible for online publication of materials. For instance, they manage the bulletin board where users post messages which are accessible to other users.
Internet defamation law is however very ambiguous about SYSOP liability. The role of the SYSOP can vary from merely providing technical support for the posting to editing all published postings. In the absence of well-defined functions of SYSOP, the extent of a SYSOP’s liability in Internet defamation cannot be incontrovertibly established.
Online reputation management principally consists of three factors – to create a personal/brand image, ascertain what others are commenting, and defending the image. The world of communications has changed vastly and the Internet has access to millions of web pages. The advent of social networks has exposed one’s personal details to countless viewers.
The best way to monitor one’s Online reputation is to regularly visit the social media pages including LinkedIn, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Wayn and MyBlogLog and verify if there are any inappropriate personal remarks.
