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from the glad-we-are-not-hosted-down-under dept.
CNN shut down its Facebook page in Australia after court liability ruling:
CNN shut down its Facebook page in Australia on Wednesday, after an Australian court ruled that media outlets are liable for defamatory user-generated comments.
[...] The deteriorating effects of the court's ruling on online speech in Australia serve as a warning of what's to come if U.S. lawmakers succeed in their efforts to weakening protections against such legal decisions in the United States.
[...] The court's ruling previews the grim future in store if U.S. politicians get their way and dismantle Section 230, the keystone U.S. law that shields websites from liability over user-generated content. Without it, social media platforms and any other website with user-generated content—especially those without Facebook's deep pockets—would likely die. Both Republicans and Democrats, President Joe Biden included, would like it dismantled.
Should the person doing the defaming be liable, or the owner of the page the defamation is posted on be liable?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DannyB on Friday October 01 2021, @02:20PM (5 children)
You're missing the point. It is NOT about CNN. It is about the fact that anyone's facebook page could make them liable. How about addressing that?
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Friday October 01 2021, @04:27PM (3 children)
Pretty interesting how all that freedom of speech stuff flies right out the window once CNN is involved.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by DannyB on Friday October 01 2021, @04:40PM (2 children)
I would point out that the same could apply equally to Fox News.
However, in an attempt to be open minded, the poster might not have meant CNN, but rather Facebook. Nothing of value is lost if a Facebook page is deleted -- regardless of who owns it.
Even if that were the objection, I would point out that the same liability law (in Australia, but Coming Soon to the USA!) would apply to other sites -- like Soylent News.
Those focusing on it being CNN, or a Facebook page, need to look at the bigger picture.
Censorship is always okay when its someone you don't like. I don't have any particular love for CNN. I stopped watching in June 2013 because I no longer trusted CNN.
If you think a fertilized egg is a child but an immigrant child is not, please don't pretend your concerns are religious
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday October 02 2021, @01:48PM (1 child)
Cable is obsolete unless you live somewhere radio waves can't reach, and it's the only place you can watch CNN, although they do have written articles on the internet. Why do you still have cable?
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 02 2021, @02:00PM
Because he was born in the 50s or 60s.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 02 2021, @01:41PM
Australia's relevance? I regularly visit US states that have larger populations.