] The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last Tuesday
] that Web loggers, website operators and e-mail list
] editors can't be held responsible for libel for
] information they republish, extending crucial First
] Amendment protections to do-it-yourself online
] publishers.
]
] Online free speech advocates praised the decision as a
] victory. The ruling effectively differentiates
] conventional news media, which can be sued relatively
] easily for libel, from certain forms of online
] communication such as moderated e-mail lists. One
] implication is that DIY publishers like bloggers cannot
] be sued as easily.

Whew!

Wired News: Bloggers Gain Libel Protection