CNN quits Facebook in Australia, citing defamation risk By Reuters

By Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) – CNN stated it has stopped posting articles on Australian Fb Inc (NASDAQ:) pages, citing a courtroom ruling that publishers are responsible 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 Inc (NYSE:), the primary main information organisation to drag its Australian Fb presence for the reason that nation’s excessive courtroom dominated this month that publishers had been legally chargeable for feedback posted under 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 business if different shops adopted go well with.

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

“We’re upset that Fb, as soon as once more, has failed to make sure its platform is a spot for credible journalism and productive dialogue round present occasions amongst its customers,” a CNN spokeswoman stated in an announcement.

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

A Fb spokesperson stated latest courtroom selections had proven the necessity for reform in Australian defamation legislation and the corporate regarded ahead to “better readability and certainty on this space”.

“Whereas it isn’t our place to supply authorized steerage to CNN, now we have offered them with the most recent info on instruments we make out there to assist publishers handle feedback,” the spokesperson stated.

Fb 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 Fb, based on business figures. A couple of third of the nation’s inhabitants used Fb to supply information in 2021, a College of Canberra report stated.