Want to Face a Libel Suit? Just Hit Retweet

Earlier this month the BBC alleged on a news program that a former Tory politician was a child molester. The report, which didnt actually name the man, was untrue.

But a frenzy of speculation began on Twitter, with thousands of people either tweeting or retweeting the name of Alistair McAlpine a.k.a. Lord McAlpine, an adviser to Margaret Thatcher when she was prime minister. The BBC has since apologized for sloppy reporting and coughed up 185,000 ($294,000) in damages. But some of those who tweeted about it are facing a probable lawsuit.

Those who repeated the claim include everyone from ordinary tweeters with few followers to high-profile celebrities like British actor A…
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