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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!smu!leff
From: leff@smu.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: are we a member of the press - (nf)
Message-ID: <4170@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 27-Nov-83 05:12:03 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.4170
Posted: Sun Nov 27 05:12:03 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Nov-83 22:47:59 EST
Lines: 14

#N:smu:15100003:000:578
smu!leff    Nov 26 13:14:00 1983

An interesting legal question.  Do we classify as a newspaper for
the purposes of libel laws, etc.

That is if one of us sends out a note saying that computer x has
a fifteen percent return rate, would we be subject to the newspaper standard
that we have to be doing that with malice or a 'reckless disregard for
the truth' for a libel prosecution.  Would the owners of computers on the net
be subject to prosecution for 'publishing' such information.

I am not planning to send out such a note in the forseeable future,
just think this might spark some interesting discussion.