Bloggers must also respect the law
Blog authors must not violate personal rights. Like journalists, they must be prepared to face legal consequences if they make offensive remarks.
Weblog authors must not trample on personal rights. They must reckon with legal consequences if they make foul comments. The Sonntagszeitung writes that bloggers are equal to journalists under media law. The objection "That's just hobby poetry in diary form" does not apply. Theoretically, even verbal abuse in private could end up in front of a judge if the violation of personality can be proven. Numerous Swiss blogs such as Medienspiegel.ch, Blattkritik.ch or the now closed Pendlerblog are dedicated to the media and journalism scene. In the case of untrue, misleading or unnecessarily offensive statements about journalists and their employers, unfair competition (UWG) can also be claimed in addition to violation of personal rights, according to the Sonntagszeitung. The amount of possible compensation that could be awarded in court depends on the significance of the publication. It therefore plays a role whether a comment is made in a mass-circulation newspaper or a small blog. According to the law, prominent people, such as editors-in-chief or columnists, must have a thicker skin than unknown people. According to the Sonntagszeitung, Blattkritik.ch is therefore allowed to describe Weltwoche editor-in-chief Roger Köppel as Tettamanti's adopted son and a womanizer. This is neither dishonorable nor unnecessarily offensive. But Roger de Weck does not have to put up with the term "idiot", which was used at Westwatch.
Bloggers must therefore also play by the legal rules in the infinite expanses of the Internet, the Sonntagszeitung article concludes. However, one cannot quite shake off the impression that author Michael Soukoup wanted to avenge his colleague Barnaby Skinner, who was denigrated on Henusodeblog.blogspot.com by blogger Bugsierer and dubbed the author of "bullshit journalism". Soukoup's post, however, follows the rules of decency and would certainly stand up to scrutiny by a judge.
Bloggers must therefore also play by the legal rules in the infinite expanses of the Internet, the Sonntagszeitung article concludes. However, one cannot quite shake off the impression that author Michael Soukoup wanted to avenge his colleague Barnaby Skinner, who was denigrated on Henusodeblog.blogspot.com by blogger Bugsierer and dubbed the author of "bullshit journalism". Soukoup's post, however, follows the rules of decency and would certainly stand up to scrutiny by a judge.
