Australian defamation review to examine Facebook liability
ABC News
An Australian government minister says a review of defamation laws will likely examine whether platforms such as Facebook should be liable for users’ defamatory posts
CANBERRA, Australia -- An Australian review of defamation laws will likely examine whether platforms such as Facebook should be liable for users' defamatory posts, the communications minister said on Wednesday.
The High Court made a landmark ruling last month that media outlets are “publishers” of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages.
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the ruling did not touch on whether Facebook could also be held liable for defamation under Australian law.
“What the case did not illuminate was the question of whether Facebook themselves are liable, and that is something I anticipate” would be examined by the current review of Australian defamation laws, Fletcher said.
