This is the sixteenth instalment in a regular series from Inforrm highlighting press and case reports of new media and information cases from around the world. It is intended to complement our United States: Monthly Round Up posts. Please let us know if there are other cases and jurisdictions which we should be covering.
In the media
Australia
Broadsheet Media, Urban List and Concrete Playground have accused Facebook Inc. of using their news articles on its website after refusing to negotiate news deals with them.
Following being banned from YouTube for seven days over Covid misinformation Sky News Australia has deleted “dozens of videos” promoting unproven covid treatments. They are now facing a Senate inquiry, the Guardian reports.
The Guardian has analysis from the Fassifern Guardian and Tribune after they were ordered to produce documents and recordings. The paper refused and the Queensland’s office of the Independent Assessor demanded they hand over the documents.
The Australian has a piece on the Australian Law Reforms Commissions report into judicial scrutiny.
Christian Porter is seeking a declaration that his defence in discontinued defamation proceedings never be published without judicial permission.
Facebook began the rollout of its News section to Australian users this come after Facebook temporarily banned all news from its platform in Australia.
Canada
The Canadian Association of Journalists and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression have been lobbying the Canadian governments to support Afghan journalists- you can see their joint statement here.
New Democrat MP Charlie Angus says Facebook should be more transparent about how it is reducing political content Canadians see before the federal election CBC News reports.
Hong Kong
Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah were accused of conspiring with media mogul Jimmy Lai to call for sanctions on China and Hong Kong- the pair have plead guilty to the charge, the Guardian reports.
New Zealand
Stuff has an article on how crisis conditions show the media’s value.
Pakistan
Russia
Russia has declared TV Rain as a “foreign agent” as part of a crackdown on critical media outlets before next month’s election. The Independent has the story.
The Otkrytye Media and MBKh Media news sites, as well the Pravozashchita Otkrytki legal aid group have ceased operations having been declared “undesirable” in Russia. AP reports.
In the Courts
Australia
Tribe v Simmons [2021] FCA 930– a successful application for an interlocutory injunction in a case involving a number of defamatory tweets alleging sexual assault.
International Wushu Federation v Google LLC [2021] FCA 904– an order that the prospective respondent, Google LLC, the owner of the YouTube video platform, make preliminary discovery of all documents in its control relating to the description of the owner or operator of the Wushuleaks Channel on Youtube.
Nettle v Cruse [2021] FCA 935 – A defamation case in which judgement was entered into for the applicant. The respondent was ordered to pay damages for non-economic loss, including aggravated damages, in the sum of $450,000.
Peterson v Simopoulos [2021] VCC 1080 – a defamation case in the County Court of Victoria.
Stewart v Clarke [2021] WASC 285 – an application to strike out a defence in a defamation case in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Gluszak-v- Yeap (No 2) [2021] WASC 283 – a defamation case before the Supreme Court of Western Australia. An extension of time was granted, defence and counterclaim was struck out with leave to replead.
This Round up was complied by Suneet Sharma a junior legal professional with a particular interest and experience in media, information and privacy law.
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