Could bloggers be made more vulnerable to libel?

I’ve just received some information that could have major consequences for bloggers.

My understanding is that a green paper will be published in the New Year setting out plans to make it easier for people to sue for defamation. The idea is to cut down the disproportionate costs of bringing a libel action and there’s even a suggestion that there could be a small claims court for libel.

The move is bound to be seen as a way of dealing with government irritants such as Guido and to a lesser extent Iain Dale.

It could have serious consequences for PB as well. The ability for people to publish comments instantly is one of the things that makes this site. If everything had to be moderated before going out then PB could not exist in the form that we know at the moment.

Mike Smithson