Warning: Blogging Can Be Hazardous to Your Wealth
http://www.iinc.org/articles/313/1/Warning--Blogging-Can-Be-Hazardous-to-Your-Wealth/Page1.html
Published on 06/25/2009
When you blog or post videos on YouTube, your message can spread anywhere and you could land in a courtroom facing a major lawsuit. Will your insurance cover your costs? Maybe.
As the Internet explodes with bloggers and personal social media posts, court dockets are filling fast with lawsuits drawn from bruised egos rather than broken bones. According to The Media Law Resource Center in New York, courts have settled about $17.4 million in trial awards resulting from blogs and Web site postings with many more awaiting jury outcomes.
Perez Hilton vs. Will.I.Am Highlights the Reach of Web Posts
When you blog or post videos on YouTube, your message can spread anywhere and you could land in a courtroom facing a major lawsuit. Will your insurance cover your costs? Maybe.
As the Internet explodes with bloggers and personal social media posts, court dockets are filling fast with lawsuits drawn from bruised egos rather than broken bones. According to The Media Law Resource Center in New York, courts have settled about $17.4 million in trial awards resulting from blogs and Web site postings with many more awaiting jury outcomes.
Claims of defamation of character, slander and copyright are usually not covered on the standard homeowner policy. However, some high-end policies may include coverage for these types of claims, and homeowners can purchase additional personal injury and liability coverage. Some umbrella policies, which extend standard homeowner liability coverage, may also include coverage for personal injury claims.
“The best defense is to read your policy and know what it covers,” said Insurance Information Network of California Executive Director Candysse Miller. “Bloggers face many new challenges and insurers are designing policies to accommodate these new risks.”
Regardless of the type of Internet risk, most policies will not cover damages from the posting of intentional or malicious misinformation or criminal acts. If the blogger receives any type of pay or has a contractual agreement with a third party, they will need a business liability policy.
Whether you blog as a hobby or blog as a business, you need to know that you’re covered for any type of lawsuit that may arise from your posts. As the blogging universe continues to expand, lawsuits and major jury awards will continue to grow as well.
IINC is a non-profit, non-lobbying insurance communications association. For more information on this and other issues, please visit the IINC Web site at www.iinc.org or follow IINC on Twitter at www.twitter.com/iinc.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Media Law Resource Center
When you blog or post videos on YouTube, your message can spread anywhere and you could land in a courtroom facing a major lawsuit. Will your insurance cover your costs? Maybe.As the Internet explodes with bloggers and personal social media posts, court dockets are filling fast with lawsuits drawn from bruised egos rather than broken bones. According to The Media Law Resource Center in New York, courts have settled about $17.4 million in trial awards resulting from blogs and Web site postings with many more awaiting jury outcomes.
Warning: Blogging Can Be Hazardous To Your Wealth
Perez Hilton vs. Will.I.Am Highlights the Reach of Web PostsWhen you blog or post videos on YouTube, your message can spread anywhere and you could land in a courtroom facing a major lawsuit. Will your insurance cover your costs? Maybe.
As the Internet explodes with bloggers and personal social media posts, court dockets are filling fast with lawsuits drawn from bruised egos rather than broken bones. According to The Media Law Resource Center in New York, courts have settled about $17.4 million in trial awards resulting from blogs and Web site postings with many more awaiting jury outcomes.
Claims of defamation of character, slander and copyright are usually not covered on the standard homeowner policy. However, some high-end policies may include coverage for these types of claims, and homeowners can purchase additional personal injury and liability coverage. Some umbrella policies, which extend standard homeowner liability coverage, may also include coverage for personal injury claims.
“The best defense is to read your policy and know what it covers,” said Insurance Information Network of California Executive Director Candysse Miller. “Bloggers face many new challenges and insurers are designing policies to accommodate these new risks.”
Regardless of the type of Internet risk, most policies will not cover damages from the posting of intentional or malicious misinformation or criminal acts. If the blogger receives any type of pay or has a contractual agreement with a third party, they will need a business liability policy.
Whether you blog as a hobby or blog as a business, you need to know that you’re covered for any type of lawsuit that may arise from your posts. As the blogging universe continues to expand, lawsuits and major jury awards will continue to grow as well.
IINC is a non-profit, non-lobbying insurance communications association. For more information on this and other issues, please visit the IINC Web site at www.iinc.org or follow IINC on Twitter at www.twitter.com/iinc.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Media Law Resource Center