Question

1. The student government association president tells the student newspaper editor that she doesn’t have permission to quote the SGA president in an open session of the SGA. She threatens to sue for libel if she is quoted. How worried should the editor be?

Answer 1

The editor shouldn’t be worried about being sued for libel because he hasn’t done anything ethically wrong in reporting what he heard the SGA President say.

The session was open to the general public and not behind closed doors and the reporter had the opportunity in knowing the truth of what was actually said so he has nothing to worry about reporting the incident any time he wants.