As celebrities and public figures continue to use Twitter as a mouthpiece for public relations they will also be held responsible and liable for every statement they post on Twitter, good or bad. Just like anyone, celebrities can be sensible or rude and clueless when it comes to their social media updates.
Recently I came across this great blog that is focused on new media and the law. Specifically the area of defamation on the internet. We all may be lulled into the feeling that just because it’s easy to make a statement online by just turning on your computer and posting a blog entry or Twitter update, these types of actions can be used in a court of law.
Recently internet celebrity and MTV personality Tila Tequila accused NFL star Shawne Merriman of choking and restraining her. He countered that he was only trying to keep her from leaving his home while intoxicated. The truth probably lies somewhere in between but because Tila Tequila decided to tweet numerous statements (that were subsequently deleted) that may have had incriminating in a court, the DA decided not to pursue charges against Merriman.
Perez Hilton, no stranger to lawsuits or Twitter spats, had it out with Kirstie Alley on Twitter. She was over the top on her comments while he maintained his composure and never threatened her. This all broke out because of his recent Twitter fight with Demi Moore regarding her daughters outfit.
Even as these celebs get more savvy so will the number of “famous for being famous” celebrities who have little or no PR experience and will wish to continue their 15 minutes through any medium available.
