legal threats: how to deal with them and not lose your house in the process

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VentnorBlog

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Apr 16, 2010, 8:57:00 AM4/16/10
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__Brief overview
This hyperlocal thing is supposed to be fun, not something that could
bring you to financial ruin.

This is what will go through your head when your first legal threat arrives.

However, there are steps that you can take to protect yourself.

Are there others who want to come along - swap stories + tips and
learn how we can protect ourselves?


__More Detail
One of the reasons readers like Hyperlocal news is that often these
new sites are unencumbered by historic (often commercial)
relationships that have lead to traditional news being less than
transparent.

Or in plain English - Hyper-local sites tell the truth about news that
other places won't touch.

The same applies for comments that you readers might post.

This can often lead to threats of, or actual, legal action.

As you'll be aware, the UK laws that can be used against publishers,
are heavily weighted in favour of the complainant - even if what_they_
claim isn't true.

Most of us doing this hyperlocal lark are doing it because we enjoy
it, so the threat of being financially wrung out as a consequence is
not what you want for informing your community.

VentnorBlog has had its share of legal bullying, so we've decided to
do something about it.

Luckily for us, we've got mates who are media lawyers who have helped
us reduce this risk to a minimum.

We're sure that we're not alone in this, so thought it would be good
to do a session where we can all share our experiences and concerns,
and hopefully learn from each other.

Sal and Simon
http://ventnorblog.com

On 16/04/2010, Chris Condron <chrisc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Sounds ace - would love to be part of a session around the stuff
> you've been doing.
>
> Chris
>
> On 16 Apr, 13:14, Mark Walker <m...@scip.org.uk> wrote:
>> Hello all
>>
>> I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and wanted to add a couple of items
>> to the possible sessions, based on what we're up to in Brighton.
>>
>> As a bit of background I work for SCIP [www.scip.org.uk] a not for profit
>> organisation in Brighton that provides IT and related services to
>> charities
>> and other not for profits. as well as paid for tech support, web design
>> and
>> training services we also deliver a range of community projects, mainly
>> around what is now known as digital inclusion.
>>
>> We were set up in 1995 including significant input from David Wilcox, who
>> used to live in Brighton and is now doing lots of work in the hyperlocal
>> space through social reporters [and is coming along tomorrow I hope].
>>
>> Anyway here are 3 sessions I could offer to facilitate and/or participate
>> in:
>>
>> 1. Community Reporters
>>
>> We're creating a network of Community Reporters, working with the people
>> who
>> will produce the content more than the people running the websites. We're
>> standing of the shoulders of People's Voice Media in Manchester, who have
>> been doing this for many years. In the past few months have run Taster
>> Sessions for 50 people and three monthly meetups with over 60 different
>> people attending [20 people there last night]. We're about to deliver a
>> six
>> week training session for Community Reporters.
>>
>> We're getting lts of interest which we're divvying into three piles:
>>
>>    - community reporters
>>       - from people who have never tried it to seasoned hacks looking for
>> a
>>       new angle
>>    - media
>>       - people who have space that reporters may be able to fill...
>>       - we're getting lots of help from the local newspaper as well
>>       community radio, community newsletters [there are at least 50 in
>> the city],
>>       BBC and of course various neighburhood/community/hyperlocal sites.
>>    - community
>>       - our stated aim is to promote community cohesion and we doing as
>> much
>>       as we can to work with disadvantaged and excluded communities - to
>> bring
>>       people into the community reporters network. For example we're
>> delivering
>>       taster sessions and training in a local day centre for young people
>> who
>>       are homeless.
>>
>> Happy to tell more about what we're doing and what we're learning -
>> website
>> iswww.bhcr.scip.org.uk
>>
>> 2. How to run a community website
>>
>> I have produced a short guide about how to get your site up and running.
>> Maybe we could run a workshop taking that tears this one up and creates a
>> new version?
>>
>> You can download the lastest version
>> here:http://scipdiy.wordpress.com/learn-more/
>>
>> 3. Working with the local press?
>>
>> We're getting some great support from Jo Wadsworth, the web editor at The
>> Argus, our local newspaper. She's coming with us so we can talk about what
>> we're doing and how it works form her side. See a story produced by one of
>> our Community Reporters
>> athttp://www.theargus.co.uk/communitypages/woodingdean/8084166.Colin_Ta...
>>
>> Hope this is of interest in some way?
>>
>> See you tomorrow
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> --
>> Mark Walker
>> Project Manager and South East Regional ICT Champion
>>
>> SCIP: IT Services for Charities and Communities
>>
>> Community Base, Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG
>> Tel: 01273 234049   Mobile: 07956 627116
>> Email: mark.wal...@scip.org.uk
>> Web:www.scip.org.uk
>> Web:www.seictchampion.org.uk
>>
>> NEW! Subscribe to news from me:http://icanhaz.com/seictchampionnews
>>
>> --
>> Subscription
>> settings:http://groups.google.com/group/tal-unconference-april-2010/subscribe?...
>

--
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Philip John

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Apr 17, 2010, 1:45:22 AM4/17/10
to TAL Unconference April 2010
Yes!
> Sal and Simonhttp://ventnorblog.com
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