St. Maarten Private Eye

The Dutch law system talks about "smaad", which is more or less equivalent to defamation or slander, libel I would hold equal with "onrechtmatige daad" or "onrechtmatig handelen".

So your references to common law do not really hold ground. The law sets out rules on what is permissable and what is not. If someone feels slandered or defamed or is of the opinion that someone acted incorrectly towards him, they have the option to take it to court. And that is where the final borders are drawn. Laws are an outline, jurisdiction determine the real borders.

Tort does not exist under the Dutch law system, but has absolutely nothing to do with slander or libel, and mostly focuses on class action suits for product disfunctions or bad medication.

By the way, it would be good if people kept their third, fourth, fifth or whatever hand gossip to themselves. Stick to fact, if they are available. If not, wait to hear, listen and see.

If you really have hard info come out in the often. GOSSIP in itself can become slander if it is persistently repeated. Who to charge would be hard. Inventing nonsense is another case altogether.

My five cents.

Observer1602