Rage Online

[quote=&quotrecordmeister&quot][quote=&quotSnake&quot][quote=&quotSnake&quot]More breaking news.

I got a txt this afternoon to say that although Olly the Ox had won the mascot derby he subsequently failed a post-run drug test so the story may soon be pulled from the official site.

As a result the thousands of #oufc people who use unofficial forums will “get to know

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote:
Isn't accuracy an absolute? Surely something is either accurate or not.

That's a rather unique point you've made there.

[quote=&quotJoeyBeauchamp&quot][quote=&quotrecordmeister&quot][quote=&quotSnake&quot][quote=&quotSnake&quot]More breaking news.

I got a txt this afternoon to say that although Olly the Ox had won the mascot derby he subsequently failed a post-run drug test so the story may soon be pulled from the official site.

As a result the thousands of #oufc people who use unofficial forums will “get to know

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote: If this was the case, would the libel case be between Potter and the paper, or OUFC and the paper?

That would depend on whose reputation would be deemed to have suffered most as a result of the article. Or they could both sue for libel if both felt that their reputations had suffered.

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote:
If this was the case, would the libel case be between Potter and the paper, or OUFC and the paper?

Potter, if it was him, couldn't sue because all the paper has said is that a 'footballer' was arrested, and the police quote adds that he is 21. So that doesn't risk identifying Potter or anybody else. The players who were 'stabbed' could sue if they felt the article identified and therefore defamed them. The club could demand the paper to print an apology - in fact they should - and if they refuse then report them to the Press Complaints Commission, who could then force the paper to apologise. The paper has no defence, eevn if they were given the wrong info by the cops, so would have to print an apology.

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote:Isn't accuracy an absolute? Surely something is either accurate or not.

Depends on the context. If you throw a javelin, aiming for 40.325m and you hit 40.328m, is that accurate? What about 40.227m or 40.122m or 32.839m?
If you aim for treble 20 and hit treble 5 that isn't accurate regardless of if you're just over the wire.

How about 'Dave got up, had a SS&ampS, booted the cat and went to the opera' as a description of the true event 'Dave got up, had a SS&ampS, booted the dog and went to the opera'. Is that inaccurate? Is it rather inaccurate, wholly inaccurate or marginally inaccurate.

(Sorry, I'm a scientist who spends too much time teaching students about accuracy, precision etc ...

Ah well, science, as any quantum physicist (or cosmologist) could tell you, is never totally accurate.

&quotboris&quot wrote:Ah well, science, as any quantum physicist (or cosmologist) could tell you, is never totally accurate.

Hmm. Sounds like postmodernism to me.
To echo Recordmeister, what is the difference between 'totally accurate' and 'rather accurate'?

[Edit: smiley added in the vain hope of making me seem less of a joyless, antagonistic twat]

I was wondering why Potter was suspended - surely it didn't take a whole week to ask him what happened?

&quotslappy&quot wrote:I was wondering why Potter was suspended - surely it didn't take a whole week to ask him what happened?

His Mum had grounded the wee lad.........

&quotJoeyBeauchamp&quot wrote:

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote:
If this was the case, would the libel case be between Potter and the paper, or OUFC and the paper?

Potter, if it was him, couldn't sue because all the paper has said is that a 'footballer' was arrested, and the police quote adds that he is 21. So that doesn't risk identifying Potter or anybody else. The players who were 'stabbed' could sue if they felt the article identified and therefore defamed them. The club could demand the paper to print an apology - in fact they should - and if they refuse then report them to the Press Complaints Commission, who could then force the paper to apologise. The paper has no defence, eevn if they were given the wrong info by the cops, so would have to print an apology.

How does a newspaper inaccurately saying somebody was the victim of a crime amount to defamation?

Even if the paper had named Potter he couldn't sue because they accurately reported that he had been arrested.

&quotMally&quot wrote:

&quotJoeyBeauchamp&quot wrote:

&quotrecordmeister&quot wrote:
If this was the case, would the libel case be between Potter and the paper, or OUFC and the paper?

Potter, if it was him, couldn't sue because all the paper has said is that a 'footballer' was arrested, and the police quote adds that he is 21. So that doesn't risk identifying Potter or anybody else. The players who were 'stabbed' could sue if they felt the article identified and therefore defamed them. The club could demand the paper to print an apology - in fact they should - and if they refuse then report them to the Press Complaints Commission, who could then force the paper to apologise. The paper has no defence, eevn if they were given the wrong info by the cops, so would have to print an apology.

How does a newspaper inaccurately saying somebody was the victim of a crime amount to defamation?

Even if the paper had named Potter he couldn't sue because they accurately reported that he had been arrested.

Say they weren't even there - they could say that the (implied) identification could damage their reputation. And if they were there but not a victim, being implicated in a stabbing incident is hardly the kind of PR they would want. Anyway, I wasn't saying they would sue, but they could - and certainly your point about Potter is valid, as I also said.