Libel threat to force US papers (& Ebooks/Websites) out of Britain

[Kosst Amojan]

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6908079.ece

American newspapers and magazines may stop selling copies in Britain and block access to their websites because of our draconian libel laws.

An article that would be regarded as free speech in America under its constitution’s first amendment becomes actionable in the High Court in London once it is deemed to have been published here, however small the readership.

Such is the UK’s reputation as a world centre for “libel tourism” that newspapers are considering whether it is still worth sending a few hundred copies to British subscribers or for sale in hotels.

...The arrival of electronic books is causing publishers a new headache. Last week, more than a decade after it was first published, The Royals, the original version of Kitty Kelley’s coruscating book about the royal family, was made available as an electronic book — except if you live in Britain.

Neill Denny, editor-in-chief of The Bookseller, said: “We are missing out in Britain. The law of libel has become a rich man’s muzzle. It is causing an insidious kind of self-censorship, which results in flimsier books being published in the UK.”

Alan Samson, the publisher at Weidenfeld and Nicolson, said: You have to weigh up whether it is worth all the time clearing investigative books legally when you know that there are people out there circling.”

[Patricia]

...The arrival of electronic books is causing publishers a new headache. Last week, more than a decade after it was first published, The Royals, the original version of Kitty Kelley’s coruscating book about the royal family, was made available as an electronic book — except if you live in Britain.

Well there's lots of treeware format copies available in the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Royals-Kitty.../dp/0446517127

so I wouldn't worry too much.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Well there's lots of treeware format copies available in the UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Royals-Kitty.../dp/0446517127

so I wouldn't worry too much.

Now there are. But how long will that last.

No, libel laws have been used in many countries as a weapon for suppressing free discussion and is always a bad thing.

(I note that many people still advocate that the Quran should not be allowed in the US and that's just plain stupid on their part.)

Derek

[Kosst Amojan]

I'm not worried, I think US publishers/websites should restrict access to their material in the UK. Seems like every few months you hear about some Saudi going to the UK to sue an American over a book critical of Islam.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Kosst Amojan

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6908079.ece

American newspapers and magazines may stop selling copies in Britain and block access to their websites because of our draconian libel laws.

An article that would be regarded as free speech in America under its constitution’s first amendment becomes actionable in the High Court in London once it is deemed to have been published here, however small the readership.

Such is the UK’s reputation as a world centre for “libel tourism” that newspapers are considering whether it is still worth sending a few hundred copies to British subscribers or for sale in hotels.

...The arrival of electronic books is causing publishers a new headache. Last week, more than a decade after it was first published, The Royals, the original version of Kitty Kelley’s coruscating book about the royal family, was made available as an electronic book — except if you live in Britain.

Neill Denny, editor-in-chief of The Bookseller, said: “We are missing out in Britain. The law of libel has become a rich man’s muzzle. It is causing an insidious kind of self-censorship, which results in flimsier books being published in the UK.”

Alan Samson, the publisher at Weidenfeld and Nicolson, said: You have to weigh up whether it is worth all the time clearing investigative books legally when you know that there are people out there circling.”

I would submit that a far BETTER reason for pulling out of the UK market is to establish and enforce a boycott of everything British until such time as the UK government removes radio talk-show host Michael Savage from the 'Banned from Britain' list. I've read his book on his current experiences - including all the FOI'd documents from the various ministries which paint a rather grim picture of the evil and incompetence within those ministries.

Derek

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

I would submit that a far BETTER reason for pulling out of the UK market is to establish and enforce a boycott of everything British until such time as the UK government removes radio talk-show host Michael Savage from the 'Banned from Britain' list. I've read his book on his current experiences - including all the FOI'd documents from the various ministries which paint a rather grim picture of the evil and incompetence within those ministries.

Derek

Well, we do have our own idiots thanks - no need for us to import any more.

I don't really know much about that case, but if that is really the kind of thing that's going to lead to wholesale trade embargos, then I guess we will end up with nobody trading with anybody. You'd be hard pressed to find any country that hadn't done something of that level of annoyance surely?

[Gideon]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Well, we do have our own idiots thanks - no need for us to import any more.

LOL

Hard to argue with that. Can we trade whatever idiot you happen to have for Glenn Beck? He can't be worse..

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by Gideon

LOL

Hard to argue with that. Can we trade whatever idiot you happen to have for Glenn Beck? He can't be worse..

As long as we can keep Jon Stewart.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Well, we do have our own idiots thanks - no need for us to import any more.

I don't really know much about that case, but if that is really the kind of thing that's going to lead to wholesale trade embargos, then I guess we will end up with nobody trading with anybody. You'd be hard pressed to find any country that hadn't done something of that level of annoyance surely?

True, but *most* countries which have shown their incompetence to that level fall into the category of state-supported-terrorism centers. And having listened to MS for years, including the years used in generating the out-of-context quotes, I can state that the quoting has been done specifically to lie to the British people in order to pretend that the banned list isn't targeting Muslims.

BTW, to those who say that MS is anti-Muslim or even anti-autism, you've never really listened to what he has to say, have you?

And if the US libel laws are so draconian, then I guess Jacqui Smith and the Home Office had better darned well watch out because MS is going to end up owning a large portion of the UK.

Derek

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

True, but *most* countries which have shown their incompetence to that level fall into the category of state-supported-terrorism centers. Derek

You are notorious on this forum for anti-French sentiments, and now are adding the UK to your list.

This is an international forum. I wonder whether you have ever thought of the effect of your words on non US members?
Many people will read them and think one or more of the following:

(i) all Americans are total idiots (which would be a regrettable and extremely inaccurate generalisation).
(ii) Americans are unable to understand political cultures other than their own. (I don't believe this is true.)
(iii) American Imperialism knows no bounds. (I hope this isn't true either)
(iv) Delphid says some things that betray an extremely limited and provincial attitude. (Judge for yourself.)

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Patricia

You are notorious on this forum for anti-French sentiments, and now are adding the UK to your list.

This is an international forum. I wonder whether you have ever thought of the effect of your words on non US members?
Many people will read them and think one or more of the following:

(i) all Americans are total idiots (which would be a regrettable and extremely inaccurate generalisation).
(ii) Americans are unable to understand political cultures other than their own. (I don't believe this is true.)
(iii) American Imperialism knows no bounds. (I hope this isn't true either)
(iv) Delphid says some things that betray an extremely limited and provincial attitude. (Judge for yourself.)

Have you, by any chance, read your EU declaration of human rights? Have you noticed the pesky freedom of speech stuff in it? (Granted, both what the UN and the EU put forth as protection of what we in the US call 1st Amendment rights is rather mild, but still, it's an *attempt*.) Now I've *listened* to Michael Savage. I'm no supporter of most of what he advocates, but it does NOT fall into the range of advocating criminal behavior.

BTW, nowhere do I claim to think the average Brit is as bleeding STUPID as the current crop of MPs are proving themselves to be. I grant that the UK doesn't have the Bill of Rights and has come to believe that the near-police-state surveillance they now endure is, somehow, making them safer, but that's not a sign of stupidity.

Now, do I sometimes show a level of provincialism, nay backwoods, down-home, American hickism? Sure. I'm proud to be a bumptious American who believes that too much government is a bad thing, that the Bill of Rights *is* a better document than anything currently out there, that the rights of the individual trumps the "rights" of any government.

Further, I'll state right out that I tend to get cantankerous when a company goes on record as constantly promising a firmware update that never quite materializes is a 'bad thing' which WILL result in lower product sales - and that in the US (Up until Bush Jr. and Obama) this resulted in the company FAILING, and rightly so. It appears that people in France have a more 'placid' approach to such dismal customer support - and it appears that we're being trained to such in the U.S.

So sue me.

Derek

P.S. I can't believe our elected officials, starting way, way back when, long before I was born, thought it was okay to take 'imperialist' actions outside our borders - and I've been voting AGAINST the bastards every chance I get since I first got the vote in 1976. I'm a hard-core Libertarian and am often stunned at just how low our politicians have sunk these past few decades - including "The One".

[gigercounter]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

I would submit that a far BETTER reason for pulling out of the UK market is to establish and enforce a boycott of everything British until such time as the UK government removes radio talk-show host Michael Savage from the 'Banned from Britain' list. I've read his book on his current experiences - including all the FOI'd documents from the various ministries which paint a rather grim picture of the evil and incompetence within those ministries.

Derek

I agree.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by gigercounter

I agree.

I don't have any problem with multiple cultures residing in a country (This despite listening to Michael Savage's show. ), nor do I consider the average Brit to be bad or wrong. I just think that it is not in anyone's interest to ban an average national talk-show host from a country, like the UK, on such flimsy "evidence". After all, the UK is supposed to be as civilized as the US - or France.

Derek

[CallOfCth'reader]

Originally Posted by gigercounter

I agree.

I think you'll find that the BNP page is that way. --------->

[gigercounter]

Originally Posted by CallOfCth'reader

I think you'll find that the BNP page is that way. --------->

/removed/