Feuding couples lead rise in online slander

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Disgruntled divorcees are increasingly turning to the Internet to vent about their ex-partners, leading to a sharp rise in lawsuits in online defamation, according to judges.

Although allegations of slander and libel are nothing new between former lovers, legal experts and psychologists say the Internet, and the ease with which it can be used, has caused a shift in behavior.

"People nowadays prefer to publish their feelings on an online space, such as a micro blog or forum," said Hao Peng, a veteran Beijing judge who specializes in civil disputes.

A study she helped conduct for the Haidian District People's Court revealed the court had seen an increase in the number of libel cases relating to Web posts since 2009.

Such disputes usually occur during a couple’s divorce or after they have been legally separated for one or two years, Hao said.

She recounted a typical case that she presided over in 2011. A 38-year-old man sued his ex-wife after she sent insulting e-mails to his friends and colleagues.

"The woman had been divorced from the man two years earlier, but she was still unhappy about the division of property," Hao said.

The judge said the ex-husband had failed to pay the defendant about 300,000 yuan ($47,000) that he owed her.

"So to put him under pressure, his ex-wife sent photos and wrote nasty things about him to his friends and published his name, workplace and other private information in an online forum."

Hao eventually ruled on the side of the plaintiff.

"After studying the evidence, it was obvious the ex-wife had indeed damaged the man's reputation, so I asked her to apologize and ordered her to delete what she wrote online," she said, adding that she has handled five or more disputes like this in recent years.

Wang Huina, another judge in the Haidian district court, said she has heard many similar cases, mostly involving young couples.

She cited a case that took place in April, in which a man won a lawsuit against his ex-wife after she posted his personal data online.

Cheng Yi, a judge specializing in civil disputes at the Chaoyang District People's Court in Beijing, said defamation between divorced parties usually occurs with celebrities, such as artists, musicians and entrepreneurs.

However, with the boom in micro blogs, many couples are pouring out their sorrow via the Internet, said Cheng, adding that she has heard 10 or more such cases a year since 2008.

Gu Yue, a senior judge at the Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court, said he has heard similar cases, but most did not come to court due to the massive amount of time and money needed to take a matter to trial.

"In our modern society, some young people are self-centered and seldom consider others' feelings, so they divorce on impulse, which is why they still have problems after they finish their relationship," he said. "The Internet, as a kind of tool, also provides them a platform to have arguments."

Gu said there is no link between good education and a good marriage. He said the courts attempt to resolve cases involving arguing couples through mediation.

"Some people intend to build public pressure on their ex-husband or ex-wife, hoping to get more compensation and the other's compromise," he said, adding that revenge was another motivating factor.

The problem is not limited to Beijing.

A court in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, sentenced a man to serve five days detention and ordered him to pay a 10,000 yuan fine for launching an online attack against his wife in an online game forum during their acrimonious divorce in May last year.

The defendant described his estranged wife as a prostitute and published her real name, Guangzhou Daily reported.

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.