Directory · 10 entries

Right of reply and rectification laws

This directory lists laws and international standards that give a person a right to have a reply or rectification published. Each cell comes from the official text. France's 1881 press law makes a daily insert a reply within three days ¹. Spain sets a seven-day request window ⁴, and a bill published on 30 January 2026 would extend the right online ⁵. The US Supreme Court struck down Florida's newspaper reply statute in 1974 ⁹. Blank cells mean the text read did not state the fact.

Last checked 6 November 2026

10 / 10

Loi du 29 juillet 1881 sur la liberté de la presse, article 13 ¹
Jurisdiction
France
Who may reply
Any person named or designated in a daily or periodical ¹
Deadline
Dailies insert within three days of receipt, 24 hours in election periods. Court action lapses after three months ¹
Publication rule
Free. Up to the article's length, at least 50 lines, no more than 200 lines. Fine of €3,750 for refusal ¹
Loi du 29 juillet 1881, article 13-1 ¹
Jurisdiction
France
Who may reply
Associations, where a person or group is targeted for origin, membership or religion ¹
Deadline
Article 13 rules apply ¹
Publication rule
Article 13 rules apply ¹
Bayerisches Pressegesetz, Art. 10 Gegendarstellung ²
Jurisdiction
Germany (Bavaria)
Who may reply
A directly affected person or authority ²
Deadline
Printed without undue delay ²
Publication rule
Same part of the publication, same typeface, no insertions or omissions, free. Refusal only for criminal content ²
Pressekodex, Ziffer 3 and Richtlinie 3.2 (version of 19 March 2025) ³
Jurisdiction
Germany
Who may reply
Self-regulatory code. Ziffer 3 places the duty on the publishing organ to correct inaccurate reports ³
Deadline
Corrections without undue delay, on the publisher's own initiative ³
Publication rule
Published corrections and counter-statements kept with stored data for the same period ³
Ley Orgánica 2/1984, de 26 de marzo, reguladora del derecho de rectificación ⁴
Jurisdiction
Spain
Who may reply
Any natural or legal person, their representatives, or heirs ⁴
Deadline
Request within seven calendar days. Publication within three days. Court claim within seven business days ⁴
Publication rule
Full text, similar prominence, no comments, free ⁴
Proyecto de Ley Orgánica reguladora del derecho de rectificación (proposed, published 30 January 2026) ⁵
Jurisdiction
Spain
Who may reply
Would add content from digital media and platform users with at least 100,000 followers on one platform ⁵
Deadline
Proposed ten calendar days, or 20 for digital media and large accounts. Publication within three calendar days ⁵
Publication rule
Proposed placement beside the original on platforms, with a notice and a link ⁵
Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU, Article 28 ⁶
Jurisdiction
European Union
Who may reply
Any person, regardless of nationality, harmed by false statements of fact on television ⁶
Deadline
Member states set procedures with enough time to apply ⁶
Publication rule
Timely and suited to the broadcast. Disputes open to judicial review ⁶
Resolution (74) 26 on the Right of Reply (2 July 1974) ⁷
Jurisdiction
Council of Europe
Who may reply
Any natural or legal person or body mentioned in a medium, regardless of nationality or residence ⁷
Deadline
Request within a reasonably short time. Publication without undue delay ⁷
Publication rule
Same prominence as the original, as far as possible. Tribunal may order publication ⁷
Recommendation Rec(2004)16 on the right of reply in the new media environment (15 December 2004) ⁸
Jurisdiction
Council of Europe
Who may reply
Any natural or legal person ⁸
Deadline
Request within a reasonably short time. Publication without undue delay ⁸
Publication rule
Same prominence, free, linked to the archived original where possible ⁸
Florida Statute section 104.38 (1973), struck down in 1974 ⁹
Jurisdiction
United States (Florida)
Who may reply
A candidate whose character or official record a newspaper attacked ⁹
Publication rule
Free reply of comparable prominence, no longer than the attack. Held to violate the First Amendment on 25 June 1974 ⁹

Notes

German press reply rules are state law. This directory uses the Bavarian text as an example ².
The Spanish bill is a proposal referred to the Justice Committee, not law ⁵.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@responseofrecord.com.

Loi du 29 juillet 1881 sur la liberté de la presse, article 13 1

Loi du 29 juillet 1881, article 13-1 1

Bayerisches Pressegesetz, Art. 10 Gegendarstellung 2

Pressekodex, Ziffer 3 and Richtlinie 3.2 (version of 19 March 2025) 3

Ley Orgánica 2/1984, de 26 de marzo, reguladora del derecho de rectificación 4

Proyecto de Ley Orgánica reguladora del derecho de rectificación (proposed, published 30 January 2026) 5

Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU, Article 28 6

Resolution (74) 26 on the Right of Reply (2 July 1974) 7

Recommendation Rec(2004)16 on the right of reply in the new media environment (15 December 2004) 8

Florida Statute section 104.38 (1973), struck down in 1974 9

Notes

Sources

Loi du 29 juillet 1881 sur la liberté de la presse, article 13 ¹

Loi du 29 juillet 1881, article 13-1 ¹

Bayerisches Pressegesetz, Art. 10 Gegendarstellung ²

Pressekodex, Ziffer 3 and Richtlinie 3.2 (version of 19 March 2025) ³

Ley Orgánica 2/1984, de 26 de marzo, reguladora del derecho de rectificación ⁴

Proyecto de Ley Orgánica reguladora del derecho de rectificación (proposed, published 30 January 2026) ⁵

Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU, Article 28 ⁶

Resolution (74) 26 on the Right of Reply (2 July 1974) ⁷

Recommendation Rec(2004)16 on the right of reply in the new media environment (15 December 2004) ⁸

Florida Statute section 104.38 (1973), struck down in 1974 ⁹