Online reputation: what’s your good name worth?

Ireland’s defamation laws are currently being revised, but in the meantime online defamation remains a thorny issue. Could the social media platforms be doing more?

Karyn Harty, partner at McCann FitzGerald: ‘People think there is a carte blanche here to say what you like, but there isn’t.’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

The first Aneta Safiak knew of the fact photos of her young son had been published online in 2019 was when friends started messaging her. A Polish native, Safiak has lived in Ireland for 16 years along with her husband. Her children are in school in Longford, along with those of many other immigrant families in the area.

A photo of her son’s class had been posted on Twitter, and used to imply that Irish ...