Internet Harassment

For a number of years now, lawyers and the legal system have seen an increase in the improper use of social media. The frequency of harassment online is appalling. The attacker’s intent goes beyond “character assassination”. The intent of posting defamatory material and disparaging remarks online, repetitively, is to harass. The intention of that behaviour is to inflict mental suffering, to cause fear, stress, and upset.  Recording your thoughts on the internet should be discouraged as it is a violation of someone’s legal rights, as well as has an effect on mental health. In fact, as recognized by Judge Corbett in the Caplan v. Atas, 2021 case, it is actually now a tort. In other words, it is an offence to do so.  Courts can deal with such behaviour.

Consult Marc J. Coderre – family lawyer for family law issues.