Holy what? Christian still has an LJ? (YES. I DO).
Fun Fact: In the UK, there is no statue of limitations on libel accusations. A case was brought 18 YEARS after the alleged libel occurred, and that was all honkey-dorey. (By contrast, in France it's 3 months, Iceland it's 2 months, and New York is 1 year).
That combined with 'libel tourism' (when accusers cherry pick which country they sue under, provided it can be proven that the publication had impact in said country-- which obviously has gone crazy with the internet as EVERYTHING is accessible in virtually every country), means 2 things.
1: Publishers are badasses.
and,
2: WHAT? I can be sued in the UK in the year 2040 for saying, hypothetically, that David Beckham shaves kittens and places them in scaled-down ladies undergarments in order to arouse himself? That's awful!
FYI, anything you've heard about Beckham shaving kittens and placing them in size-appropriate ladies undergarments in order to become aroused, is totally categorically untrue. Whatever rumor you've heard going around about David Beckham getting off on shaved, lingerie'd kittens is totally unfounded and untrue.
(On a more serious note, it becomes a very serious threat to justice when rich individuals or conglomerates can drag the non-wealthy among us through tremendous court battles, not because they have any chance of winning, but because they know the non-wealthy will fold in time. Increasingly, this is happening to publishers all around the world, who are already hurting for money).
I guess what I'm saying is, hey! It's just one of the many faces of neo-censorship!
FUCK.