Defamation and Reputation Protection - Episode 34

V. John Ella and Adam Brown discuss defamation and reputation protection in Minnesota. John provides a definition of defamation (including a discussion of the somewhat antiquated terms “libel” and “slander”), lays out the elements of any defamation claim, and addresses defenses, statements of opinion, defamation v. disparagement, and so on. The team also discusses online reviews and responses, along with the FTC's new regulations regarding online reviews, fake reviews, and other online trends.John talks about the realities of damages in defamation claims, and he discusses per se damages as well. John also discusses freedom of speech and public policy issues, and he talks about litigation trends such as using litigation as a bullying tactic. Finally, John and Adam discuss Anti-SLAPP laws. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, and Anti-SLAPP laws are designed to encourage participation and help avoid litigation as a bullying technique. Minnesota recently passed its own Anti-SLAPP law called the Minnesota Uniform Public Expression Protection Act.