Title Page
ABSTRACT
Contents
Chapter I. Introduction 7
1.1. Overview 7
1.2. Background Information 8
1.3. Main Study Content Overview 10
Chapter II. Comparative study of the protection of the public figures' reputation underCommon Law System 15
2.1. The Definition of the Public Figures and its Classification in General Meaning 15
2.1.1. Definition and Examples 15
2.1.2. Classification 15
2.1.3. Legislation Status on the Protection of the Reputation of Public Figures 19
2.2. The Origin of the Legal Definition on Public Figures and the Establishment of Actual Malice Principle in the USA 21
2.2.1. The Legislation Origin of US Law on Public Figures 21
2.2.2. The Development of the US Law in Protecting the Reputation for Public Figures 24
2.3. The United Kingdom: Absolute Privilege Defense Protects Particular Persons from Being Defamed. 26
2.3.1. Landmark Case for Mass Media to Get Qualified Privilege:Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd Case 26
2.3.2. The Parliamentary Privilege in the 2013 Defamation Act. 30
2.4. The Comparative Legal Study in Public Figures' right to Reputation under Common Law System 30
2.4.1. The Public Figure Doctrine and the Reynolds Qualified Privilege 30
Chapter III. The Comparative Legal Study in Public Figures' Right to Reputation under Civil Law System 45
3.1. Germany: To distinguish Absolute Public Figures and Relative Public Figures through Jurisprudence. 45
3.1.1. Relevant Regulations on Public Figures in German Criminal Code 46
3.2. Japan:Adopting Strict Liability for Defamation 47
3.3. Conclusion 50
Chapter IV. The Application of Public Figures in Jurisdiction in China(Republic of China and Mainland China) 58
4.1. The Legal Background for Protecting the Public Figure's Reputation of Mainland China. 58
4.2. Present Practice and Experience in Jurisdiction. 58
4.2.1. The Standard Mode of the Reconciliation of Reputation Protection and Freedom of Expression in Mainland China 59
4.3. Taiwan(Republic of China):Famous Politicians Get More Protection on Reputation in Jurisdiction 70
4.3.1. Legal system and Criminal Cases 73
4.3.2. Civil Cases 76
4.4. Conclusion 77
Chapter V. Balance between Public Figures' Right to Reputation and Freedom of Speech 80
5.1. Procedural Justice and Substantive justice 81
5.1.1. Common Value Judgment 81
5.1.2. Different Methods of Protection 83
5.2. To Decriminalize Defamation towards Public Figures or Not 84
5.2.1. The General Law: Weakening Protection of Public Figures'Reputation 84
5.2.2. The Decriminalization towards the Reputation of Public Figures 88
5.3. Liability Principles Comparison 92
5.3.1. Actual Malice: Pros and Cons 93
5.3.2. Public Interest Defense and Truth Defense. 94
5.3.3. Conclusion 96
Chapter VI. Legal Reflections and Suggestionson China 98
6.1. Decriminalization Defamation towards Public Officials and the Country 98
6.1.1. Historical Background 98
6.1.2. Proposals for the Freedom of Speech 99
6.1.3. Results of the Defamation Criminalization 105
6.2. Learning from UK, Taiwan 106
6.2.1. Present Progress and Conflicts 106
6.2.2. Proposals for the Legislation on Defamation 109
Chapter VII. Conclusion 114
References 119