On The Government Regulation Of Internet Defamation

The invention of printing changed the world, by opening a market-place in knowledge and ideas which had never before existed. As a result it is possible to draw an inexact but meaningful line between mediaeval and the modern. No one can doubt that the advent of the Internet has similarly changed, is changing and will continue to change the world. In a few short years, the Internet has revolutionized the way in which we communicate and the world has become both faster and smaller.When the impact of the Internet applied to the law of defamation which has existed over centuries, for almost every concept and rule in the field has to be reconsidered in the light of this unique medium of instant worldwide communication. Traditional approaches may no longer serve when applied to identifying the publisher and the audience to whom publication is made; to the role of the innocent disseminator; to fixing the place and date of publication; to ascertaining the applicable law and the appropriate venue for trial; to notions of public interest and public concern when publication is to a worldwide audience; to the grant and enforcement of remedies against entities outside the borders of a national state; and to many other issues considered in this comprehensive survey.This dissertation concentrates on the governmental regulation of the Internet defamation. Through the consideration of the advent and characteristics of the Internet defamation, analyzing both the western countries and China's regulation models concerning curbing the Internet defamation. Emphasizing on the participation of the governments considered as the representatives of public interest as general in the governance of the Internet, via the cooperation with other interest parties to improve multilateral collaboration.Chapter One and chapter Two apply as the prelude of this survey, discussing the defamation in general and arguing the advent and characteristics of the Internet defamation, profiling the concept of the Internet defamation. Chapter Three focuses on the governmental regulation of the Internet defamation, especially in western countries. Indicating that the governments have taken part in the governance of the Internet and governmental regulation of the Internet defamation may be an effective determent of the Internet defamation. Chapter Four and chapter Five emphasizes on the governmental regulation and its improvements in China, through drawing the western countries'experiences in tackling with the Internet defamation, finding its own way to deal with the Internet defamation.