Comment on Boston College Campus Police: "Using Prompt Commands" May Be a Sign of Criminal ActivityparentComments−kragen17yIs sending a forged e-mail accusing your roommate of being gay illegal? It sounds juvenile and malicious. But I don't see how it's a crime.Yes, given that we live in a society where many people think homosexual behavior is grossly immoral, that's prima facie defamation.−billswift17yNo it is not illegal. Defamation, even if it exists, which in this case looks pretty doubtful, is a civil tort.−kragen17yYou're right that defamation is generally a civil tort and not a crime (generally, that is, in the US; I don't know about the jurisdiction in question), and so the police should not have been involved. Thanks!
Comments
Is sending a forged e-mail accusing your roommate of being gay illegal? It sounds juvenile and malicious. But I don't see how it's a crime.
Yes, given that we live in a society where many people think homosexual behavior is grossly immoral, that's prima facie defamation.
No it is not illegal. Defamation, even if it exists, which in this case looks pretty doubtful, is a civil tort.
You're right that defamation is generally a civil tort and not a crime (generally, that is, in the US; I don't know about the jurisdiction in question), and so the police should not have been involved. Thanks!