Offending someone is no trivial matter in Italy. In serious cases, it can lead to criminal proceedings, fines, and court-ordered damages – and the person concerned needn\u2019t even be alive for you to get into trouble (we\u2019ll mention later a case of someone who got fined \u20ac10,000 per insulting someone\u2019s long-dead uncle). In nutshell, speaking out against someone while living the dolce vita can carry legal consequences. This matters in particular once you join local online communities (Facebook groups, WhatsApp chats, building threads, school parent groups) where \u201ceveryone knows everyone\u201d. In Italy, diffamazione (defamation, or slander) is not just a civil dispute about money. Under Italy’s defamation laws, it is a criminal offence. In simple terms, you commit defamation if you damage someone\u2019s reputation by communicating it to more than one other person. Penalties can increase when the statement is made through the press or by \u201cother means of publicity\u201d, a category courts have interpreted to include social media. Three points often surprise international readers: First, you can run into trouble even if you never name the person; if they are identifiable with reasonable certainty, that may be enough.\u00a0 Second, \u201cbut it\u2019s true\u201d or \u201cI didn\u2019t mean it\u201d are not…<\/p>\n