Church Livestreaming Raises Legal Concerns Over Defamation

Church livestreaming is drawing increased legal scrutiny in Ireland after a defamation case involving the Cornerstone Slieve Bloom Church highlighted the risks associated with broadcasting unscripted religious ceremonies. Evangelical Alliance Ireland (EAI) Executive Director Nick Park, also a senior pastor, has warned that such legal actions are likely to become more common, particularly for evangelical churches where open, spontaneous contributions are encouraged during services.

The defamation case in question involved a father who was awarded €14,400 after comments made by his daughter during a livestreamed baptism were deemed defamatory. The church was held responsible for 40% of the awarded damages. Park emphasized that while livestreaming can broaden outreach, it exposes churches to reputational and financial risk—especially when members’ remarks aren’t scripted or moderated in real time.

To avoid such liabilities, Park’s own church pre-records services and uploads them to platforms like YouTube, rather than broadcasting live. He also referenced a 2016 court case in Belfast involving Pastor James McConnell, who was prosecuted for remarks about Islam during a sermon that had been streamed online. Although the court ruled the statements were offensive, they did not meet the legal threshold for being “grossly offensive,” and McConnell was acquitted.

Various denominations in Ireland, including the Catholic Church and Church of Ireland, have issued livestreaming guidelines that emphasize respectful behavior and caution against streaming outside of liturgical events. Their policies also remind congregations that defamation and digital communications laws apply to livestreamed and online content just as they do to traditional media.

While some churches remain unaffected, defamation concerns for livestreaming are rising. Evangelical leaders are urging congregations to take precautions as digital worship becomes more embedded in church life. For more details, refer to the original article on The Irish Times.