Amid growing consternation over slanderous comments on Israeli news websites, the Knesset on Monday approved a bill that would make it easier for perceived victims of defamation to sue. The bill, proposed by MK Zvulun Orlev (New National Religious Party) passed a first reading in the Knesset plenum and must pass through two more readings to become law. During this process, its language may be subject to change. Comments on large news sites, among the most popular websites in Israel, are known as "talkbacks" in Israel and have been the subject of widespread controversy. Many readers post anonymously and use aliases, giving rise to a "talkback" culture that can often be rude and slanderous in tone. Several district and magistrate court judges have already ruled that web users' identities can be revealed without infringing on freedom of the press. Judges have even ordered a number of Internet carriers to temporarily suspend their privacy policies, revealing the Internet Protocol (IP) address of particular subscribers so that injured parties can sue for damages. But in 2010, the Supreme Court overturned a decision by a lower court that forced an Internet Service Provider to disclose who was behind a certain comment, on the grounds that the current libel laws do not apply to user-generated online content. This prompted lawmakers to introduce legislation that would allow legal redress for those harmed by online libel, usually in the form of false allegations by online readers reacting to a news story involving the injured party. At present, potential injured parties are denied such legal recourse, with ISPs using the High Court's precedent as a way to protect clients' personal information. The bill in question is unrelated to a separate piece of pending legislation seeking to amend the libel law. The libel amendment, likely to be diluted before its final passage, imposes much higher penalties on media outlets that commit libel even without causing harm to the injured party. It would raise the amount awarded from NIS 50,000 ($13,000) to NIS 300,000 ($79,000) even if the plaintiff fails to prove he or she has been harmed. The penalty could rise to NIS 1.5 million ($397,000) if the media outlet refuses to publish an unedited response from the injured party.
New bill proposes putting a lid on Internet trash-talkers
Israelis who slander others online may face lawsuits if a new Knesset bill, which passed a first reading Monday, is made law • Previously, judges said libel law does not apply to user-generated content.
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