By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision is a good example of anti-SLAPP legislation being applied properly, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “In the case of Volpe v. Wong-Tam, the combination of the motion decision, as modified by the Court of Appeal, gets the current state of the […]
A good example of anti-SLAPP legislation done right Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • If Ontario wants to reduce the number of defamation suits that are launched it should take a lesson from the United Kingdom and Australia, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “The Ontario government implemented the current anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) legislation in an effort to protect expressions
A simpler, faster way to handle defamation actions Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • While ChatGPT is being embraced for its ability to quickly provide users with answers to virtually any question, its well-documented tendency to produce erroneous information can seriously damage a person’s reputation, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “If an artificial intelligence (AI) platform publishes or creates content that is
ChatGPT’s credibility undermined by ‘hallucinations’ Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • Three high-profile legal actions in the United States demonstrate that neither U.S. presidents nor powerful news organizations can get away with spreading lies or trampling on someone’s reputation, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “When we look at the three-quarters of a billion-dollar settlement Dominion Voting Systems received from
The ‘extreme arrogance or stupidity’ of the U.S. right Read More »
By Paul Russell, LegalMatters Staff • People who have been defamed may be contemplating legal action, but is it worth it? Potential plaintiffs and their legal counsel would be advised to read through a recent Manitoba court case before deciding, says Toronto defamation lawyer Howard Winkler. “It serves as a cautionary tale for anyone considering
Judgment shows the financial risks of launching a defamation suit Read More »
A recent decision of Australia’s highest court is a major victory for Google, clarifying that it is not liable for facilitating the publication of content created by others, even if given notice of the defamatory nature of the content. From a Canadian point of view, what is really interesting is that large portions of this
In Australia, Google has the last laugh – maybe Read More »
As the metaverse continues to welcome new retailers and users into its virtual communities – one news report estimates it “could be a US$13 trillion industry by the end of the decade” – the need to have some mechanism in place to resolve disputes is becoming more apparent. That is because this online world created
Smart contracts: Bringing peace & order to the metaverse’s ‘wild west’ Read More »
The metaverse is here but it is much more than just fun and games. Lawyers need to prepare for the unique and challenging legal issues that will arise in this digital landscape. Created by Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse is commonly described as a fully realized digital world that exists beyond the analog one in
The metaverse is the new wild west when it comes to the law Read More »
Anti-SLAPP legislation is not achieving its goal of providing an early expeditious means of preventing the misuse of the judiciary by litigants who unduly attempt to silence expression related to matters of public interest. The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has said the crux of these motions is the weighing of interests under section 137.1(4)(b)
Anti-SLAPP legislation is failing. Here’s a possible fix Read More »
Toronto media and defamation lawyer Howard Winkler discussed various forms of defamation in posts throughout 2021. In February, he applauded a decision by the Supreme Court of British Columbia holding online social media platforms responsible for the defamatory content they publish as a step toward. The court gave a Vancouver businessman permission to sue Twitter
A year of commentary on defamation, online and in politics Read More »
