CNN does not feature prominently in Australian media
consumption, but the decision could have reverberations across the industry if
other outlets followed suit.
Facebook declined a request to help CNN and other publishers
disable public comments in the country following the ruling, CNN said.
"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 said in
a statement.
She added that CNN would continue to publish content on its
own platforms in Australia.
A Facebook spokesperson said recent court decisions had
shown the need for reform in Australian defamation law and the company looked
forward 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 said.
Facebook says it has several features available for
publishers and other users to restrict who can comment on posts. It and CNN did
not give details of the discussions that led to CNN's decision.
Social media is a central channel for distributing content
in Australia, with about two-thirds of the country's 25 million population on
Facebook, according to industry figures. About a third of the country's
population used Facebook to source news in 2021, a University of Canberra
report said.
© Reuters
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