Can Bloggers , Blog-hosts and Webmasters be Sued

In the back of the mind of any person or authority involved in publication of authoritative materials as well as information and views held to be "controversial" the specter of libel, accusations of "slander" and hence of lawsuits and similar legal actions are always in the back most corner of most authors, media staff and in 2009 / 2010 currently those writing for, maintaining and managing blogs- "Web Logs".

True , in the US one can always maintain that the "First Amendment" of the United State's Constitution says in part "Congress shall make no law... abiding the freedom of speech or the press", and as well most American States constitutions carry similar provisions.

Yet it is not that simple in our modern times, by a means. The webmaster / blogmaster may reside in the US while the domain name is registered with a British domain registrar , the web hosting being run on server offshore , and staff doing setup and maintenance can be anywhere or anywhere in our "world is flat" Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times newspaper "The World is Flat" worldwide outsourcing mantra. Its a wide wide world , similar in a means to the jacket manufactured "made in America" where the only labor performed on that product in the US is the sewing of a Chinese made zipper in a garment that was indeed made in over a dozen overseas countries with "foreign" labor worldwide.

Thus when it comes to the definitions and applications of libel law, it's a wide open field. Whose definitions do you use of libel and damage done? Whose rules do you play by in or in any courts of law? What redress and whose law of action? Just the simple logistics of getting the involved staff , never mind the legal authorities into one room , or even obtaining simple answers can be downright hard to obtain can be more than difficult if not impossible in practical logistic terms. Imagine trying to play telephone tag with bureaucrats and legal staff across the world and varying time zones.
It mind numbing.

Thus for any person or group involved in any manner in publishing on the internet - whether it be a simple webpage or a blog - either singly or attached to a web site libel laws are not laws of strict censorship. As a "practical " matter , anyone and everyone can speak , write , publish on the web expound in their own blog , blogs or make comments on differing blogs , blogposts or assorted miscellaneous forums or perhaps foriu. That and all that they wish so to speak.

However it can be said that "nothing is for nothing". One should always be aware and be cognizant of libel, if the exercise of their own actions and face the consequences of libel. If their actions of what they consider their personal rights infringe on the freedom of another person, particularly their reputation and personal integrity and honor. In the end when it comes to concerns of libel and slanders it never hurts to be careful and conservative when it comes to actions and deeds.