Reputational harm now spreads faster than it can be corrected. A defamation lawyer in Singapore is often instructed not primarily to win damages, but to stop the spread and secure a correction while it still matters.
Yeo Marini Law Corporation acts for both claimants and defendants in defamation matters, including claims arising from statements made online, on social media, in messaging groups and in print.
What has to be shown
A claimant in defamation must generally establish three things.
- The statement was defamatory, meaning it would tend to lower the claimant in the estimation of right-thinking members of society
- The statement referred to the claimant, whether by name or by identifying particulars
- The statement was published to at least one third party. A message in a group chat is published. So is a review, a post, or a forwarded screenshot
Defences
If you have received a letter of demand, you are not without answers. The principal defences include:
- Justification, that the statement is substantially true
- Fair comment, that it was an honest opinion on a matter of public interest, based on facts
- Qualified privilege, where the maker had a duty or interest in communicating and the recipient a corresponding interest in receiving
Malice can defeat fair comment and qualified privilege.
Acting quickly
Where content is live and spreading, speed matters more than perfection. Practical steps include:
- Preserving evidence immediately, with dated screenshots showing URLs and, where possible, archived copies
- A letter of demand seeking removal, a retraction, an apology and an undertaking
- Complaints to the platform under its own content policies, which sometimes achieves removal faster than legal process
- An application for an interim injunction where the matter is urgent
Related remedies
Not every reputational problem is defamation. Depending on the facts, the Protection from Harassment Act may provide a more direct route, including orders to stop publication and to correct false statements of fact. Where a false statement causes financial loss to a business, malicious falsehood may also be available.
We will advise on which route fits your facts, and whether any of them is worth the cost.
A word of caution for claimants
Defamation proceedings are public. Suing over a statement sometimes brings it far more attention than it would otherwise have received. We will raise that with you before you commit, because it is a consideration clients often think about last.
Common questions
Is a message in a group chat considered published?
Yes. Publication requires communication to at least one third party. A message in a group chat is published, and so is a review, a post, or a forwarded screenshot.
What defences are available to a defamation claim?
The principal defences are justification, that the statement is substantially true; fair comment, that it was honest opinion on a matter of public interest based on facts; and qualified privilege, where the maker had a duty or interest in communicating and the recipient a corresponding interest in receiving. Malice can defeat fair comment and qualified privilege.
Is defamation always the right remedy?
Not necessarily. Depending on the facts, the Protection from Harassment Act may provide a more direct route, including orders to stop publication and to correct false statements of fact. Where a false statement causes financial loss to a business, malicious falsehood may also be available.
Speaking to us
Nothing on this page is legal advice for your situation, and contacting us does not by itself create a solicitor and client relationship. To discuss a defamation matter, contact us by telephone, email or WhatsApp. You may also wish to read about our other practice areas or meet our team.