Quoting: EssayScams, Post #23
CDA provides that when a user writes and posts material on a website such as Ripoff Report, the site itself cannot, in most cases, be held legally responsible for the posted material.
In most cases. In ripoff case, Court found that out of 110 complaints posted thereat, only 11 were from true complainants. The rest were made up by ripoff staff. This established a designed plan--something like a 'conspiracy' for the accomplishment of illegal ends. There was RICO.
Other states penalize libel as a criminal offense--while others consider defamation as tort. There is a plethora of jurisprudence where parties were found guilty of defamation and libel.
Media laws is a complex field: issues of jurisdiction,liabilities of parties, i.e. distributorship, ISP, posters, nature of offenses etc usually entails in depth research from authoritative materials (such as the confluence of pertinent laws and court cases)and experience in the field.
Issue of jurisdiction--assuming arguendo that complaining party is not within the the 'jurisdiction' you were alluding to--it can still be filed anywhere--where the site was accessed and the defamatory contents read--as this is deemed 'publication.' (This includes hyperlinking).
There really is nothing to worry about if you are in good faith.
Establishing a site for the purpose of exposing fraud is noble even if you were a victim. Try reading the first (web) page of this forum--obviously, as stated --they set up this site because they too were victims.