Australian news outlets can be held liable for defamatory comments posted by readers on their social media posts, the nation's top court has found.
The landmark ruling could have wide implications for how Australian news firms and others use social media.
It comes after a former teenage prisoner sued media companies over Facebook comments posted below articles about his mistreatment in detention.
News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment could face damages.
Experts say the ruling could have consequences for anyone with a large online following, not just news publishers.
The world-first judgement could also influence defamation cases globally.
Source:
BBC