Volume II

Issue : 22: November 18, 2004

• European Court of Justice Releases Decisions on Scope of Database Protection
• Idaho Obtains Judgement to Permanently Ban Fax Spammer from State
• UPS and Other Couriers File Suit against Maines Tobacco Sales Law
• Indian Supreme Court Finds Computer Software a Good not a Service
• FCC VoIP Ruling Removes Regulatory Power from the States
• Privacy Commissioner of Canada releases Annual Report
• Dow Jones Settling Internet Defamation Case by Gutnick
• B.C. Privacy Commissioner Releases Report on U.S. PATRIOT Act
• Ontario Judge Awards Significant Damages in Cyber libel Case
• WTO Report Finds U.S. in Breach of GATS over Online Gambling Dispute
• Judge Finds Content from the Internet Archive Website Admissible

Home > Volume II > Issue 22: November 18, 2004 > Ontario Judge Awards Significant Damages in Cyber libel Case

Ontario Judge Awards Significant Damages in Cyber libel Case

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has awarded $75,000 in general damages and $50,000 in aggravated damages in one of the largest Internet defamation damage awards in Canada. The defendant made defamatory remarks about the plaintiff, a prehistoric archaeologist, in an email that was widely circulated. The email referred to the plaintiff as a "grave robber" and urged readers to forward it to as many people as possible. Madam Justice Low found that the plaintiff acted with actual malice in circulating the email, which was defamatory and untrue, and that the use of email for this purpose was more powerful than sending out letters in the old-fashioned way.

For a copy of the case, visit:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041112.wxinternet1113/BNStory/Front/