Media Liable for Comments Posted on Their Facebook Pages: Australian High Court

Media Liable for Comments Posted on Their Facebook Pages: Australian High Court
The icons of Facebook and WhatsApp are pictured on an iPhone, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Nov. 15, 2018. Martin Meissner/AP Photo
Daniel Y. Teng
Updated:

In a landmark decision, Australia’s apex judicial body, the High Court, has dismissed an appeal from major media outlets claiming they were not responsible for comments posted by readers or audience members on their social media pages.

Experts believe the judgement will have wider ramifications across not just media outlets but businesses, government entities, and community organisations, who will have to moderate comments even more stringently—or remove the option altogether—to ensure defamatory comments are not publicised.

Daniel Y. Teng
Daniel Y. Teng
Writer
Daniel Y. Teng is based in Brisbane, Australia. He focuses on national affairs, including federal politics and Australia-China relations. Got a tip? Contact him at [email protected].
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