Forum post translation = slander?

[yangxu]

What is the name of your state? Oregon

I recently translated a forum post (into English) onto a letter and distributed among my friends.

The original source was primarily about a bad experience the topic creator and his colleagues had with a certain project manager (PM) they hired. The post didn't specifically mention anybody or any company's name.

Because my friends and I are also undergoing the process of interviewing PMs, I decided to faithfully translate the post and distribute them among my friends as a heads-up. The translated version obviously wasn't directed at any anybody, the only subject/"protagonist" ever mentioned in the original post or the translation was "she".

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, one of the female PMs who didn't get approved by us sent me a letter saying that she'll take legal actions against us because we did not obtain her permission to spread the translated post. She will charge us of slander, defamation and other false accusations that damaged her reputation.

I fail to see why she'd sue us, as nowhere did my letter mention her name nor her company. I believe the original topic creator's post was simply his opinion. And I don't understand why she would put herself as the female PM in the post.

Could somebody identify whether her accusations of me defaming her valid? I plan to fight back, is this a good idea? If so, can I charge her of slander and request psychological damage compensations because of her actions?

 

[quincy]

If the post was a generic post, and did not identify anyone specifically - especially not the particular PM who is threatening action against you - then she probably will have a difficult time proving you defamed her. Difficulty with proof, however, does not prevent someone from suing someone else at anytime for any reason. She likely would not win such a defamation suit in the scenario you described, though. Without seeing the actual letter, it is impossible to say for sure one way or the other.

I WOULD worry, though, about copyright infringement, as the original poster, or the forum where the original post was placed, owns the right to the post. Copying and distributing someone else's written work is a violation of the writer's copyright (a translation would be considered a derivative work).

 

[yangxu]

I see, thank you for your clarification, it makes me more relieved. If she based her accusations solely from her own perspective and feeling without solid evidences and fail to establish my malicious motive of defaming her, what are the chances of me winning a case by suing the false accusations and the psychological harassment she created on me?

 

[quincy]

I think your chances of winning a suit against her are about as likely as her chances of winning a suit against you.