English Defamation Law Everywhere

Displacement of Concepts: Why everyone needs to worry about English defamation law.

If you say anything about anyone who has a reputation in England, and you could have foreseen that that statement would go up on the web, you're likely to be sued for libel in England. It doesn't matter that everyone concerned was in the US, it doesn't matter that you were talking to a US newspaper with no print circulation or target audience in England, it doesn't matter that what you said was permitted comment in US law and dealt with mainly US issues. You could still be dragged through expensive and lengthy proceedings in the English courts.

Remember, unlike in the US, English defamation law has no public figure doctrine.