Insulted ex-lover in friends' chat - and will pay 30,000 shekels

A family court ordered a man to pay 30,000 shekels to his former lover for defamation in WhatsApp messages. The judge ruled that even a single offensive message sent to friends constitutes defamation. The compensation is divided: 25,000 for group messages and 5,000 for private ones.

A family court in Israel ordered a man to pay 30,000 shekels to his former lover for defamation in WhatsApp messages. The woman filed a lawsuit after the man sent offensive messages in groups with dozens of participants and privately to friends, attributing sexual relations with others to her. The man argued that private messages to friends do not constitute public dissemination, but the judge ruled that even conveying information to a single person falls under the Defamation Law. The court divided the compensation: 25,000 shekels for group messages and 5,000 for private ones. The man was also ordered to pay court costs of 11,000 shekels. The judge considered the age difference, the defendant's financial situation, and his written apology, but found that this does not justify the humiliation.