Australia wants Facebook held liable for anonymous comments

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described social media as a “coward’s palace” and warns that digital platforms such as Facebook should be held liable for defamatory comments posted anonymously. Anonymous commentators who use social media to vilify and bully have become the latest battleground between Morrison’s government and U.S. tech giants. Morrison says platforms that do not reveal the identities of people posting defamatory comments should be held liable for them. Australian state and territory governments are rushing to review their defamation laws after the High Court ruled media outlets can be held liable for defamatory comments posted by third parties on their Facebook pages. It didn’t rule on whether Facebook was liable because the platform wasn’t being sued.