Can I be sued for defamation?

[potatopop]

I'm in California. I recently overheard some guy in one of my college classes talking **** about his fiancée. I made a Facebook account with a random name and messaged his fiancée with exactly what he said.

Then he messaged me saying he's going to sue me for defamation and emotional distress. Can he do that? Is there any legal way for him to figure out my identity? I've since deactivated the Facebook account.

This sounds super petty and juvenile because, well, it is. I'm in college after all. Basically I just want to know if I'm in any legal trouble here.

 

[Just Blue]

I'm in California. I recently overheard some guy in one of my college classes talking **** about his fiancée. I made a Facebook account with a random name and messaged his fiancée with exactly what he said.

Then he messaged me saying he's going to sue me for defamation and emotional distress. Can he do that? Is there any legal way for him to figure out my identity? I've since deactivated the Facebook account.

This sounds super petty and juvenile because, well, it is. I'm in college after all. Basically I just want to know if I'm in any legal trouble here.

Yes. He can sue you.

Go forth and sin no more.

 

[Proserpina]

I'm in California. I recently overheard some guy in one of my college classes talking **** about his fiancée. I made a Facebook account with a random name and messaged his fiancée with exactly what he said.

Then he messaged me saying he's going to sue me for defamation and emotional distress. Can he do that? Is there any legal way for him to figure out my identity? I've since deactivated the Facebook account.

This sounds super petty and juvenile because, well, it is. I'm in college after all. Basically I just want to know if I'm in any legal trouble here.

Does your school offer classes in "MYOB 101"? If they do, I suggest you sign up immediately. See if they offer "How To Not Act Like A Five Year Old (When You're Not Actually Five)", too.

You're welcome.

 

[cbg]

Can he sue you? Yes, he can, because anyone with a filing fee can sue anyone for anything. I can sue you if I don't like your shoes. Doesn't mean I'd win, or that I had a valid lawsuit, but I could.

Would he win such a suit? No, he wouldn't. Not as long as you repeated his words exactly. It's not defamation if it's true, and if it's true that he said what you claimed, then if he's in trouble with his fiancee it's his own fault. Emotional distress and all.

Do you need to grow up and start behaving like an adult? Yes, you most certainly do. What were you thinking?

 

[quincy]

I'm in California. I recently overheard some guy in one of my college classes talking **** about his fianc�e. I made a Facebook account with a random name and messaged his fianc�e with exactly what he said.

Then he messaged me saying he's going to sue me for defamation and emotional distress. Can he do that? Is there any legal way for him to figure out my identity? I've since deactivated the Facebook account.

This sounds super petty and juvenile because, well, it is. I'm in college after all. Basically I just want to know if I'm in any legal trouble here.

I agree with you that creating a fake Facebook account with the sole intent to hurt another is an awfully childish act for a college student to perform. But there is little likelihood that a defamation lawsuit could be supported, although it could depend on exactly what you messaged and if you can prove the truth of what you communicated to the fiancée. It could also depend on how litigious the fellow is whose conversation you overheard.

Here is a link to a FreeAdvice staff written article, which gives you an indication of what trouble you can potentially get into in California when you create fake accounts: https://law.freeadvice.com/intellectual-property/computer_law/fake-facebook.htm

There is a legal way for the fiancé to discover your real identity. Whether he will make the effort and spend the money necessary to pursue this, however, is a question mark. I suspect he won't.