Path: csiph.com!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!border1.nntp.ams1.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed8.news.xs4all.nl!nzpost1.xs4all.net!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <johnmohagan@gmail.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: UNSURE 0.214
X-Spam-Level: **
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.59; '*S*': 0.02; 'true,': 0.04; 'clause': 0.07; 'creighton': 0.09; '(but': 0.15; 'thu,': 0.15; 'enough.': 0.16; 'varies': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.16; 'sender:addr:gmail.com': 0.18; 'laura': 0.18; '2015': 0.20; '+0200': 0.20; 'saying': 0.22; 'basis,': 0.22; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.24; 'sort': 0.25; 'practices,': 0.27; 'consequence': 0.29; 'lot.': 0.29; 'character': 0.29; 'code': 0.30; 'certain': 0.31; 'though,': 0.32; 'run': 0.33; 'similar': 0.33; 'received:google.com': 0.35; "isn't": 0.35; 'but': 0.36; 'heard': 0.36; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.36; 'subject:: ': 0.37; 'charset:us-ascii': 0.37; 'does': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.40; 'protection': 0.60; 'australia': 0.61; 'discuss': 0.61; 'real': 0.62; 'regulations': 0.63; 'complete': 0.63; 'places': 0.64; 'intent': 0.66; 'here': 0.66; 'limited.': 0.67; 'act': 0.67; 'risk': 0.68; 'corporate': 0.71; 'marketing': 0.72; 'received:122': 0.74; 'attractive': 0.79; 'truth': 0.79; "'if": 0.84; 'fictional': 0.84; 'sweden': 0.84; 'corporations': 0.93; 'hand,': 0.97
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=sender:date:from:to:subject:message-id:in-reply-to:references :mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=832vW/8e/pttjZS7KDYRjVw+JmzpqjL3rj6HZOAcWDY=; b=nXZoyGCQAGz2ZEseJhBH/Dmbs/HptW5WBvu72+aj7JK1ef+t+v7a3rlh4k/oPQFehR Xd479Y14+SL/nZBpKxVmGfS5OnKBeCruenHE/7n9Q2prGC08F5Thzmrm0WEbdg62vM0E pFtT3AU0GmIWthPb5FVJKI6M2t1hE9BSFbTBN1FWAc44paVrWF1V6b97UfKYW+cztASQ BJsZEbPL0jTUMEa8D4xC80fqc3leYRJQZMOxnjezBLGw33U3Xux027vjl/enBvYmPReT sddDYVIQ2Upq6tMgXrVaxxi4aNLBXQZQXW1dF1mLZQjgutWcJnhw/KLds5Aqq+eoaIYs J2jw==
X-Received: by 10.66.139.70 with SMTP id qw6mr20025907pab.142.1445554795306; Thu, 22 Oct 2015 15:59:55 -0700 (PDT)
Sender: "John O'Hagan" <johnmohagan@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 09:59:43 +1100
From: John O'Hagan <research@johnohagan.com>
To: python-list@python.org
Subject: Re: Defamation
In-Reply-To: <201510221119.t9MBJER4027985@fido.openend.se>
References: <1454496840.1661921445200299637.JavaMail.httpd@webmail-50.iol.local> <CAPTjJmqvQ1S9qzj0wkma=yw9KK=+TFGhr0EbDNm+f0p3bmUV4Q@mail.gmail.com> <mailman.38.1445272099.878.python-list@python.org> <56263cfe$0$1616$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <20151022114508.1b95c332@mini.home> <CAPTjJmo6B6Eg4R+u2cya0KtKRJ83FfOPYhHvj8yNNx9DTDcLOg@mail.gmail.com> <CAHVvXxTzUtL=r2FJSkUnOYGMz4qa0Omywu6e9h8wa+Pbx2r9zg@mail.gmail.com> <201510221119.t9MBJER4027985@fido.openend.se>
X-Mailer: Claws Mail 3.12.0 (GTK+ 2.24.28; x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailman-Approved-At: Fri, 23 Oct 2015 09:17:11 +0200
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.20+
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.112.1445584632.878.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 25
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1445584632 news.xs4all.nl 23826 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:37996
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:97916

On Thu, 22 Oct 2015 13:19:14 +0200
Laura Creighton <lac@openend.se> wrote:


>  One thing to recall is that 'who/what can be defamed' 
> varies a lot.  In Sweden you cannot defame a corporation.  The
> defamation regulations in the Penal Code only apply to private
> individuals.  If you cannot bleed, you cannot be defamed.  In certain
> situations the Swedish Marketing Act may be used to stop defamation of
> a corporate entity -- if a rival has, without basis, tainted a rival's
> reputation -- but this sort of protection is limited.  This makes
> Sweden an attractive place to discuss Mosanto, and their evil
> practices, even though, like a lot of places Sweden's defamation
> law does not have a clause saying roughly 'if it is true, it isn't
> defamation'.  Just 'intent to villify' is enough.  
> 
> Laura

Corporations also cannot be defamed here in Australia (but only since
2006). Truth is a complete defence; but on the other hand,
intent is irrelevant. This has the unfortunate consequence that by
mocking a fictional character you run the risk of defaming a real
person who happens to have the same name, or even similar
characteristics, even if you have never heard of them.