Rumors, Lies and the Internet: How to Protect Yourself

Hurtful messages, even outright lies splashed up on the web for all to see. When online thugs are bent on defaming you, seems like you can't do anything to stop them! But it doesn't mean it's entirely legal.

David Arbia from The Citizens Media Law Project at Harvard's Berkman Center says just because you're online, doesn't mean the laws don't apply.

"People tend to shoot from the hip a little more. They tend to say things they perhaps wouldn't say in another context because they're doing it online.”

He says what you write online is protected under the first amendment free speech, as long as what you say is true. If it's not, it could cross the line into libel or slander.

For instance, just a couple of months ago, the NY Post reported police arrested Paul Franco. His ex-girlfriend accused him of hijacking her facebook page, changing her sexual preference to "gay," and then demanding cash to get her profile back.

In Arkansas, there's the case of a 16 year old boy suing his own mother for slander. He claims she hacked into his account and changed his password. She says he posted some questionable things on his page was just protecting him.

The advice from Arbia - next time you get behind that keyboard, give that comment a second read. If you can't say it to someone's face, definitely don't say it online.