jet@karazm.math.uh.edu (J. Eric Townsend) (11/03/90)
In article <3706@mindlink.UUCP> a577@mindlink.UUCP (Curt Sampson) writes: >I've heard that the laws regarding libel and "public figures" are much less >stringent. Is this true? If so, what constitutes a "public figure?" A movie >star? Somone who gets mashed upon by the secret service and ends up in the >newspapers? Someone who posts a lot to the net? Someone who is discussed >extensively on the net? I think it's defined as "anyone who purposefully puts themselves in the public eye". If USENET is defined as "self-publishing", then we're all writers, and we lose quite a bit of protection from "libel". (Technically, you can't libel a public figure, or a member of a large group while attacking that group, etc.) -- J. Eric Townsend Internet: jet@uh.edu Bitnet: jet@UHOU Systems Manager - University of Houston Dept. of Mathematics - (713) 749-2120 EastEnders list: eastender@karazm.math.uh.edu Skate UNIX(r)