CNN Quits Facebook in Australia Citing Defamation Risk

CNN stated it has stopped posting articles on Australian Facebook pages, citing a courtroom ruling that publishers are chargeable for defamation in public feedback and the social media agency’s refusal to assist it disable feedback within the nation. The transfer makes CNN, which is owned by AT&T, the primary main information organisation to drag its Australian Facebook presence because the nation’s excessive courtroom dominated this month that publishers had been legally liable for feedback posted beneath tales – even when the tales themselves weren’t defamatory.

CNN doesn’t function prominently in Australian media consumption, however the choice might have reverberations throughout the trade if different shops adopted swimsuit.

Facebook declined a request to assist CNN and different publishers disable public feedback within the nation following the ruling, CNN stated.

“We are disappointed that Facebook, once again, has failed to ensure its platform is a place for credible journalism and productive dialogue around current events among its users,” a CNN spokeswoman stated in an announcement.

She added that CNN would proceed to publish content material by itself platforms in Australia.

A Facebook spokesperson stated latest courtroom selections had proven the necessity for reform in Australian defamation legislation and the corporate seemed ahead to “greater clarity and certainty in this area”.

“While it’s not our place to provide legal guidance to CNN, we have provided them with the latest information on tools we make available to help publishers manage comments,” the spokesperson stated.

Facebook says it has a number of options out there for publishers and different customers to limit who can touch upon posts. It and CNN didn’t give particulars of the discussions that led to CNN’s choice.

Social media is a central channel for distributing content material in Australia, with about two-thirds of the nation’s 25 million inhabitants on Facebook, in line with trade figures. About a 3rd of the nation’s inhabitants used Facebook to supply information in 2021, a University of Canberra report stated.

© Thomson Reuters 2021