Defamation: Social Media
2026-06-08 · Ministry of Justice · 8313 · Official question
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current libel laws in the context of social media.
Answer
Defamation - which covers both libel and slander - concerns the publication of material that adversely affects a person’s reputation. Individuals who believe they have been defamed online can bring a claim under the tort of defamation, provided it meets t...