- “Is advocating the paleo diet against the law?” [Brian Doherty on N.C. blogger case; earlier]
- Free speech prof Volokh to lend pro bono help in Montgomery County, Md. blogger prior-restraint case [Popehat; earlier here, here, here, and here] Members of Congress want “SWATting” of bloggers investigated [Arlette Saenz/ABC, Politico, Washington Times]
- A FAQ on anti-SLAPP laws [Ken at Popehat]
- Judge tosses World Net Daily suit over birther parody [Volokh, earlier]
- “Britain’s New Libel Bill: Better on Libel Tourism, But Worse on Anonymous Online Speech” [Citizen Media Law] “What Is an Internet Troll?” [Guardian]
- “Doctor sues patient over web comments” [Orlando Sentinel]
- $3 million jury award in libel case against Norfolk Virginian-Pilot [Romenesko]
3 Comments
I’m not so sure I’d want to use a Doctor who’s in the habit of suing his patients!
Interestingly, someone bearing the doctor’s name appeared in the article’s comments. I wonder if his lawyer knows.
Is advocating a paleo diet against the law?
I’m not a registered financial adviser. However, I have shares in the Dril-n-Dridup Oil Company, and they are going fine. Am I allowed to tell you it’s a good deal, and recommend you buy a few shares? If so, can I recommend a few other companies? How many recommendations can I make before I have to be registered as a financial adviser?
You see the point? A good case can be made that a person cannot take money for providing advice on share buying, paleo diet, or anything else, without formal qualifications, and perhaps it could be justified requiring bloggers to state up front that they don’t have such qualifications. But, hell’s bells! We all give advice on lots of things. It’s up to the listener to decide whether the adviser knows what he is talking about.