New Media Rights’ latest blog post for Forbes is all about defamation and what you should know before you decide to pursue a claim. Whether you own a business or have an active online presence, a hurtful statement can have disastrous and far-reaching effects. But just because someone said something mean doesn’t mean it’s illegal.

“Yes, it is true that our society places a significant value in freedom of speech, but there is a point, however, where statements normally protected under free speech cross into the realm of defamation. So the first step is recognizing what defamation looks like.”