Item — HN Reader

Listen, I'm no fan of Ticketmaster but you should be very careful in your wording of a piece like this.

Although clearly opinion, it contains real slander and you should tread lightly. For example, "Which means that ticketmaster is purposefully delaying their efficiency in order to get people to purchase more expensive shipping times". This is the conclusion you came to but the company may be able to prove it has the delays for various other reasons. Because it's not a "fact", it's likely slander or defamation. The title is also problematic, "Ticketmaster is a horrible company". You might or might not be able to prove that as fact.

4 comments

You need to look up libel law (this would be libel, because it is written, not slander). This is all opinion, there is nothing legally actionable in this piece. I don't think you have a background in this kind of law to be giving this kind of advice (at least not in the U.S.). The article is definitely protected speech here.

I hope he doesn't change his wording. If Ticketmaster sues, it will draw more attention to all of this.

If the blogger is taking a risk (which I doubt is a significant one), I think he should be commended for it.

It's neither slander nor defamation, it's someone's opinion based on a very real, repeatable, documented experience.

This comment is closer to defamation than the article is. And neither is close. (Assuming U.S. law, as Live Nation is U.S. company.)