Libel

• A Dozen Tips to Avoid Being Burned by a Hot Story.
• SPLC Legal Brief: Libel Law. A concise summary of libel law.
• In the market for libel insurance? Here is a list of companies that have expressed interest in working with student media organizations.

Invasion of Privacy

• SPLC Legal Brief: Invasion of Privacy Law. A concise summary of invasion of privacy law.
• Saying 'Yes'. What the law says about minors ability to consent ? without parents permission ? to stories that could invade their privacy or damage their reputation.
• Special Delivery. A legal guide to handling and publishing material that has (possibly) been illegally obtained and provided by third-parties.
• Surveying the Law. A legal guide and practical guide for student media wanting to conduct and publish news and opinion surveys on campus.

General Liability Issues

• Liability for the Student Media: Who's responsible in the event of a lawsuit?
• Know Your Cybershield: A Guide to Liability for Online Speech

Other Resources

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has published a number of excellent resources on libel and invasion of privacy, including:

• The First Amendment Handbook
• Can We Tape: A Practical Guide to Taping Phone Calls and In-Person Conversations in the 50 States and D.C.
• Photographer's Guide to Privacy.

SPLC Media Law Presentations

The PowerPoint presentations below, produced by the Student Press Law Center's legal staff, are intended for classroom or workshop use and provide students (and their advisers) with an introductory, practical guide for understanding and avoiding the libel and privacy problems most often confronted by high school student media. Each is accompanied by a set of Teachers' Presentation Notes in PDF-format that includes slide images and a presentation script.

• Invasion of Privacy Law: This presentation helps student journalists understand and identify where the legal lines are drawn when gathering and publishing information that might be considered private. It examines each of the four different types of invasion of privacy and includes a number of true-to-life examples that will help reporters and photographers steer clear of the most common privacy trouble spots. (Apx. 45 minutes)(15 MB)

• Libel Law: At or near the top of the list of legal topics any journalist needs to understand is libel. This presentation provides student journalists with a straightforward guide to understanding and identifying libel. It includes a number of true-to-life examples and ends with a list of practical suggestions that will help student journalists avoid common libel traps. (Apx. 45 minutes)(5.4 MB)