The site targets former school pupils, giving them an opportunity to contact each other and post information about themselves and their memories of schooldays. It has over 6.2 million registered users and receives 200 million page impressions per month.
Jim Murray, a retired teacher, successfully sued former pupil Jonathan Spencer, in Lincoln County Court in England.
Spencer, himself a teacher, posted comments to the site that alleged that Murray was sacked for making “rude remarks about girls” and for “strangling” a pupil. Friends Reunited itself escaped liability by immediately removing the comments when they were brought to its attention by Murray.
Murray won his case in February, but has now been awarded damages of £1,250 and £150 in legal expenses. He is quoted by the BBC’s web site, describing the award as “peanuts” and criticising the “evil” of the Friends Reunited site: "They are effectively putting a dagger in people's hands. When challenged they simply say they have removed the dagger – the wound is still there.”
Silicon.com reports that the award is the UK’s first libel award against a poster of comments on-line.