Thursday, July 30, 2009

Company Sues over Tweet

This will be an interesting test case.

A tenant who used the micro-blogging service Twitter to complain about mould in her Chicago apartment is being sued.

Horizon Group Management filed a lawsuit that has accused Amanda Bonnen of defaming the company with her tweet.

She sent out a message that said “Who said sleeping in a mouldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it’s okay.”

“The statements are obviously false, and it’s our intention to prove that,” said Horizon’s Jeffrey Michael.

In the end, if she committed libel then she committed libel.  Whether she did it on Twitter or elsewhere seems immaterial.

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 0626 hrs
Culture + Law + Technology

  1. I hope his lawyer pays for filing a frivilous case that appears more a case of megalomania then anything else.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 30, 2009 at 0811 hrs


  2. Right. The lawyer probably talked them into the suit for the legal fees and/or the publicity.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 30, 2009 at 0927 hrs


  3. In the end, if she committed libel then she committed libel.  Whether she did it on Twitter or elsewhere seems immaterial.

    Spot on. Bravo.

    Posted by Mike on July 30, 2009 at 0929 hrs


  4. “We’re a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organisation,” Mr Michael told the paper.

    Sounds like a great landlord to me.  smirk

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on July 30, 2009 at 1215 hrs


  5. “I hope his lawyer pays for filing a frivilous case that appears more a case of megalomania then anything else.”

    Guys the point of this suit is not to win—Read between the lines.  Notice how the article mentions:

    Ultimately, all tenant grievances were quickly and amicably resolved, except Ms Bonnen

    ‘

    I’m willing to bet Ms. Bonnen had threatened suit. By putting her on the defense the landlord makes it more difficult because she can’t get a contingency fee lawyer to take the case.  It is a very common and pretty effective litigation strategy used by corporations.

    Posted by super Id on July 30, 2009 at 2132 hrs


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