5 ms·

Against bad-mouthing big, powerful, businesses? Yeah, I think so.

by eyko 15y ago

praptak 15y ago
I believe that "bad-mouthing" does not imply "lying". There are no laws against vilifying, criticizing severely, speaking unfavorably of big, powerful businesses as long as you have some backup in facts. Edit: Supreme courts (or equivalents) in most countries make it very clear in their verdicts that protecting the right to expose scoundrels is very high on their priority list. Especially if the scoundrels are big and powerful. Public interest and all that.
- dos1 15y ago
  Big powerful businesses maybe, but apparently you can tell the truth and still have to pay damages to individuals: http://www.startribune.com/local/117805398.html http://www.startribune.com/local/117805398.html
  - tokenadult 15y ago
    That trial court verdict is extremely anomalous (I say as a lawyer from the same state) and is being appealed. http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2011/03/14/26584/johnny_northside_damn_right_were_appealing_60000_judgment http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2011/03/14/26584/johnny_nor... http://minnlawyer.com/jdr/2011/03/21/is-the-special-verdict-form-to-blame-for-the-johnny-northside-verdict/ http://minnlawyer.com/jdr/2011/03/21/is-the-special-verdict-... http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2011/06/06/johnny-northside-60000-judgment-upheld-northside-blog-suit http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2011/06/06/johnny-northsid... http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=12002 http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=12002 http://www.citmedialaw.org/blog/2011/60000-ruling-against-truthful-blogger-tests-limits-first-amendment http://www.citmedialaw.org/blog/2011/60000-ruling-against-tr...
moondowner 15y ago
It depends on the country maybe. That's why nowadays in almost every company in the agreement the employee signs one of the terms is that he is to never talk about the company in a way that will affect it's reputation negatively.
- swalkergibson 15y ago
  IANAL, but it sounds like a clause like this flies directly in the face of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. I very seriously doubt that any company can control its former employee's true speech.

Against bad-mouthing big, powerful, businesses? Yeah, I think so.

by eyko 15y ago

Against bad-mouthing big, powerful, businesses? Yeah, I think so.

I believe that "bad-mouthing" does not imply "lying". There are no laws against vilifying, criticizing severely, speaking unfavorably of big, powerful businesses as long as you have some backup in facts. Edit: Supreme courts (or equivalents) in most countries make it very clear in their verdicts that protecting the right to expose scoundrels is very high on their priority list. Especially if the scoundrels are big and powerful. Public interest and all that.

dos1 15y ago
Big powerful businesses maybe, but apparently you can tell the truth and still have to pay damages to individuals: http://www.startribune.com/local/117805398.html http://www.startribune.com/local/117805398.html
- tokenadult 15y ago
  That trial court verdict is extremely anomalous (I say as a lawyer from the same state) and is being appealed. http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2011/03/14/26584/johnny_northside_damn_right_were_appealing_60000_judgment http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2011/03/14/26584/johnny_nor... http://minnlawyer.com/jdr/2011/03/21/is-the-special-verdict-form-to-blame-for-the-johnny-northside-verdict/ http://minnlawyer.com/jdr/2011/03/21/is-the-special-verdict-... http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2011/06/06/johnny-northside-60000-judgment-upheld-northside-blog-suit http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2011/06/06/johnny-northsid... http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=12002 http://www.rcfp.org/newsitems/index.php?i=12002 http://www.citmedialaw.org/blog/2011/60000-ruling-against-truthful-blogger-tests-limits-first-amendment http://www.citmedialaw.org/blog/2011/60000-ruling-against-tr...

moondowner 15y ago

It depends on the country maybe. That's why nowadays in almost every company in the agreement the employee signs one of the terms is that he is to never talk about the company in a way that will affect it's reputation negatively.

swalkergibson 15y ago
IANAL, but it sounds like a clause like this flies directly in the face of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. I very seriously doubt that any company can control its former employee's true speech.