Google Can Be Liable In Defamation Law As A 'Publisher' Of Defamatory Words On Blogger.com

Tamiz v Google Inc ([2013] EWCA Civ 68)

Mr Tamiz sued Google Inc and Google UK Ltd over 8 comments which had been posted on blog called 'London Muslim' which was hosted on Blogger.com, operated by Google Inc. He had notified Google of his objections to the comments. Google had contacted the author of the Blog who voluntarily deleted the comments. It took just over 5 weeks for the comments to be removed, and he decided to sue in relation the period after Google Inc had received his objection, but before they were taken down. (He subsequently settled his claim against Google UK Ltd, having been informed that it had no responsibility for Blogger.com.)

The first instance decisions

He had to obtain permission from the Court to serve his claim on Google Inc in California. A High Court Master had given Mr Tamiz permission, and Google Inc then tried to get that set aside, in an application to Mr Justice Eady. Eady J found for Google Inc on 3 grounds:

1. Google Inc...