[brainwad]

I don't think that's true, actually. You aren't responsible for things that can't be reasonably foreseen, usually. There are a few strict liability offences in criminal law, but libel isn't one of them. We don't make everything strict liability because it would stifle people's lives.

I don't think a reasonable person would have expected this outcome, so the owner of the bot is off the hook; though obviously _now_ it's more more forseeable and if he keeps running it despite this experience, then if it happens again he will not have the same defence.

[UncleMeat]

Morally responsible.

"Well, it isn't a crime to stand up a robot that hurts people" is not exactly my idea of a compelling defense.

[brainwad]

I don't think you are morally responsible for unforeseeable consequences, either. Here the law follows the common moral intuition.