Internet and defamation laws (was Re: Oil Economics)

From: Brett Paatsch (paatschb@ocean.com.au)
Date: Tue Jan 28 2003 - 23:49:22 MST


Eliezer wrote:
> From January 18th, 2001:
> http://www.theonion.com/onion3701/bush_nightmare.html

Interesting. The Onion is obviously a farcical publication aimed
at stirring and joshing rather than reporting. Fair enough.

But given it actually includes photos (or digital likenesses) of Bush
and purports at least superficially to quote him, I wonder, in light of
a recent High Court decision on internet publication and defamation
in Australia whether The Onion and its ilk might be in danger of sticking
their neck out too far and becoming actionable under defamation (libel)
law. Probably not. They probably concentrate mostly on pollies that
are US or national leaders and therefore deemed big enough to look
after themselves. Good chance the Aussie defamation laws might have
gone out on a limb of their own too.

Brett



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