Internet defamation: who is legally responsible for online comments?

As the legal profession struggles to catch up with the age of social media, the question of who is responsible for defamatory remarks on websites is constantly evolving, says Hugh McCarthy.

WITH social media titans such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google playing an increasingly prominent role in how we communicate, the question of their liability for defamation is under closer scrutiny.

Never before have people been able to convey information and opinions or indeed pictures and videos with such ease.