In the age of social media, if you or one of your employees writes or says something false or defamatory about someone, you could be accused of libel or slander and wind up in court for Defamation. Even if the accusations of defamation are inaccurate, you may still have legal fees.

The maelstrom of reporting on the recent Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million ** in punitive damages. While this case was quite extreme, it can serve as a good example to individuals and businesses of the impact of defamation and all the costs associated with it. Fortunately there are ways to protect you and your business’s reputations against false information written about them.

Defamation means causing severe harm to a person’s reputation by publishing material that changes how people feel about them. You could face a defamation lawsuit someday, whether you are a one-person band or employ staff. Defamation is a serious offense with often serious consequences. Each state and territory have civil laws in place to counteract the publication of defamatory material.

In the age of social media reviews, ensuring you and your staff understands how to react when defamatory comments appear online is essential. Does your business have social media procedures in place, ensuring that the correct steps are taken in the event of a defamatory comment?

Just because something you’ve said is disparaging does not make a claim actionable. It’s important to understand what, when, and how your policy can assist and work closely with your broker to ensure it has the correct extensions or cover.

Some Professional Indemnity policies can cover you for some unexpected costs like damages, claims investigations, public relations consultants, and more. Ausure brokers also have access to several Multimedia liability insurers extending even further to protect your business from Public Humiliation, Infringement of Copyright, or Invasion of Privacy.

Note: Not-for-profits and small businesses with fewer than 10 staff can also sue for defamation, but larger companies usually can’t.

General Advice Warning: Please be aware that any advice that may have been given or implied is general advice only. We have not taken into consideration your individual needs, objectives or financial requirements. Before deciding to purchase a financial product, you should consider the appropriate Product Disclosure Statement to ensure the product is suitable for your needs. ** As originally reported on https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/johnny-depp-amber-heard-defamation-trial-summary-timeline-rcna26136