The Ottawa Citizen has reported this morning on a Supreme Court of Canada ruling which offers legal protections to journalists and possibly even bloggers (see Supreme Court establishes new libel defence).
The article suggests that the new defense applies to defamation cases based on “‘responsible journalism’ on issues of public importance“.
It seems the defense will be largely based on the quality of the information being questioned and the steps taken by the reporter to verify the information. Basically, the reporter must practice sound journalism, something most bloggers should be doing better than they are on issues of public interest.
Perhaps the most fascinating point raised in the article is in the last paragraph which suggests bloggers were specifically identified in the ruling:
The Ontario court had called the defence “responsible journalism,” but the Supreme Court said that the title of the defence was too narrow and should encompass communications made by Internet bloggers and others who are not journalists.
You can learn more about journalistic principles and ethics at the following sample links:
- Canadian Association of Journalists Statement of Principles
- C.E.P. Media Code of Ethics
- Journalism Ethics and Standards (Wikipedia)
Hat tip: Blake Johnston
