Keith-Smith v Williams
Encyclopedia
Keith-Smith
v Williams is a 2006 English
libel case that confirmed that existing libel laws applied to internet discussion.
It was seen as important because it was seen as the first UK internet libel case that represented two individuals rather than one party being an Internet Service Provider
, and was the first British case involving a successful prosecution of an individual poster within a chat room. The Manchester Evening News
claimed that this contradicted a common assumption among bloggers that it was the publisher and not the writer who was responsible for any libel claims that they may generate.
Mark Stephens
, the head of media law at Stephens Finer Innocent, characterised the case as "a dark day for freedom of speech with broad implications", which was denied by the plaintiff Michael Keith Smith
.
The case involved an unemployed ex-teacher Tracy Williams falsely accusing a former UKIP candidate, Michael Keith Smith
, of being a sexual offender and racist bigot. The court ordered her to pay £10,000 plus costs. Although the accusations were made in a Yahoo discussion group with about 100 members, damages were awarded as the remarks were available throughout the world.
Michael Keith Smith
Michael Keith Smith , commonly known as Mike Smith, had been founder-chairman of the Conservative Democratic Alliance, a British right-wing pressure group. He was also the successful claimant in Keith-Smith v Williams, a landmark English libel case in 2006 that confirmed that existing libel laws...
v Williams is a 2006 English
English law
English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...
libel case that confirmed that existing libel laws applied to internet discussion.
It was seen as important because it was seen as the first UK internet libel case that represented two individuals rather than one party being an Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, and was the first British case involving a successful prosecution of an individual poster within a chat room. The Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
claimed that this contradicted a common assumption among bloggers that it was the publisher and not the writer who was responsible for any libel claims that they may generate.
Mark Stephens
Mark Stephens (solicitor)
Mark Howard Stephens CBE is a British solicitor specialising in media law, intellectual property rights and human rights with the firm Finers Stephens Innocent...
, the head of media law at Stephens Finer Innocent, characterised the case as "a dark day for freedom of speech with broad implications", which was denied by the plaintiff Michael Keith Smith
Michael Keith Smith
Michael Keith Smith , commonly known as Mike Smith, had been founder-chairman of the Conservative Democratic Alliance, a British right-wing pressure group. He was also the successful claimant in Keith-Smith v Williams, a landmark English libel case in 2006 that confirmed that existing libel laws...
.
The case involved an unemployed ex-teacher Tracy Williams falsely accusing a former UKIP candidate, Michael Keith Smith
Michael Keith Smith
Michael Keith Smith , commonly known as Mike Smith, had been founder-chairman of the Conservative Democratic Alliance, a British right-wing pressure group. He was also the successful claimant in Keith-Smith v Williams, a landmark English libel case in 2006 that confirmed that existing libel laws...
, of being a sexual offender and racist bigot. The court ordered her to pay £10,000 plus costs. Although the accusations were made in a Yahoo discussion group with about 100 members, damages were awarded as the remarks were available throughout the world.