ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on digital media law which relates to writing, editing, and publishing in digital media. It explains the basics of intellectual property law, including copyright which relates to digital content. The chapter discusses the legal contexts where digital writers gather and publish information, with an emphasis on the freedoms and protections offered by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. There are two primary forms of communication "malpractice" with respect to legal liability: invasion of privacy and libel. Libel and defamation are the legal claims that most commonly drag journalists into the courts, and it is an area of the law that has become quite active due to the amount and degree of vitriolic anonymous expression enabled by discussion boards, comments sections, social media, and other public forums online.
