Warning! That Is the Price You Pay if You Do This

byegonsarv

4.1K followers

9 years ago

Hey, WA topguns!

This morning I stumbled upon an article about Webster Tarpley, a 71 year old blogger from Maryland who was forced to pay a "substantial sum" to Melania Trump for reporting an unfounded rumors that Melania had once worked as an escort.

Here's the problem, in Webster's own words:

"I had no legitimate factual basis to make these false statements and I fully retract them,” Tarpley confessed in his statement. “I acknowledge that these false statements were very harmful and hurtful to Mrs. Trump and her family, and therefore I sincerely apologize to Mrs. Trump, her son, her husband and her parents for making these false statements.” (Source: https://goo.gl/Kko8O5)

As a blogger, you write a lot and your writings are public - everyone can read them. And sue you if they find you guilty. Therefore, it is dangerous to post statements if you don't have solid, factual basis to back your statements.

There is another thing that I want to mention. Images.

Images can cause you big trouble as well, if you don't treat them properly.

Sometimes I have noticed that some WA members use images (in their posts) without any attribution. It is true that you can find images that require no attribution.

But the better images mostly require (at least some kind of) attribution. You may end up neck-deep in big troubles if the owner will sue you for using his image without attribution.

Long time ago I wrote an article on it (consequences, warning examples, etc.) If you are interested to learn more about the issue, check this (no affiliate thing): http://egonsarvreviews.com/free-images-with-no-cop...

I know, attributing images takes extra time and energy. And there's not much fun in it. On the other hand, you can sleep in peace when you know that ALL your images are treated with dignity. Isn't that wonderful?

And finally, as Warren Buffett has once said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

It takes time (years, decades) to build up your reputation. You clearly don't want to ruin it with one false statement or an image, do you?

Therefore, be careful!

God bless you :)

Egon