By MARK PEARSON Follow @Journlaw

My book – Blogging and Tweeting Without Getting Sued. A Global Guide to the Law for Anyone Writing Online (Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2012) – is available world-wide.

Ebook versions can be sourced from Google, Kobo and Amazon (Kindle).

Credit card purchases can be made from the publisher Allen & Unwin, Readings and Booktopia.

It’s not aimed at lawyers or academics. It’s meant to be an accessible read for the lay blogger or social media user who wants an introduction to the main pitfalls in the law of online writing and publishing.

While there was considerable research involved, I prefer to see it as a work of journalism than of legal or media scholarship – explaining and interpreting the law for the ordinary global citizen.

Here’s the blurb:

“What you post on a blog or tweet to your followers can get you arrested or cost you a lot of money in legal battles. This practical guide shows you how to stay out of trouble when you write online.

“Every time you post a blog or tweet you may be subject to the laws of more than 200 jurisdictions throughout cyberspace. As more than a few bloggers or tweeters have discovered, you can be sued in your own country, or arrested at the airport heading off to a holiday in another country. Just for writing something that wouldn’t raise an eyebrow at a bar.

“In this handy guide, media law expert Mark Pearson explains how you can get your message across online without landing yourself in legal trouble. In straightforward language, he explains what everyone writing online needs to know about reputation, privacy, secrets, bigotry, national security, copyright and false advertising.

“Whether you host a celebrity Facebook page, tweet about a hobby, or like to try your hand at citizen journalism, you need this guide to keep on the right side of cyberlaw.”

I’ve used Storify to give this brief account of some of the coverage to date: © Mark Pearson 2013

Disclaimer: While I write about media law and ethics, nothing here should be construed as legal advice. I am an academic, not a lawyer. My only advice is that you consult a lawyer before taking any legal risks.