Opinion: “Tweeters Beware” – Sara Mansoori

Last week saw the first British libel settlement arising out of allegations published on Twitter. In Wales a Caerphilly Councillor, Colin Elsbury, agreed to pay £3,000 damages, substantial costs and to publish an apology on Twitter for his tweet about a political rival, Eddie Talbot. The previous week, in the US, Courtney Love paid US$430,000 (£265,000) to settle the libel suit brought by a fashion designer over allegations Ms Love had published on Twitter in which she said the designer was a thief and a criminal. The “Independent” reported the settlement.