Online content: What—and whom—does the law protect?

Wonder whether you can sue an online commenter for libel or if a tweet can get you into trouble? We have the answers

It was only a matter of time before a tweet got someone sued.

Chicagoan Amanda Bonnen likely didn’t anticipate any legal repercussions when she tweeted “Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it’s okay.”

Realty company Horizon Group Management countered with a defamation lawsuit, claiming Bonnen “maliciously and wrongfully published the false and defamatory Tweet on Twitter, thereby allowing the Tweet to be distributed throughout the world.”

Bonnen’s now deactivated account had just 20 followers at the time. Horizon is seeking $50,000 plus court costs.

The lawsuit raises murky legal waters for Twitter users. Legally, should they watch what they tweet for fear of being sued?