VOA慢速英语--澳大利亚法院裁定媒体应对Facebook的评论负责

Australian Court: Media Companies Responsible for Comments on their Facebook Pages

Australia's highest court has ruled against some major news media companies in a case about comments on their social media pages. The court decided¹ that the companies are legally responsible for comments because they are the publishers of their pages.

The decision is an important win for Dylan Voller. He is seeking legal action against the media companies. As a youth, Voller was placed in a detention² center in Australia's Northern Territory. His treatment while there was the center of a 2016 documentary film. The film led to a deeper investigation³ into the mistreatment of young prisoners in Australia.

Several news organizations posted pictures of Voller on social media when the film came out. One showed him tied to a chair with a covering over his head. Many Facebook users posted comments about Voller on those companies' social media pages.

As a result, Voller wants to sue several Australian media companies.

The case has been held up by a separate legal dispute over whether the companies were the publishers of users' comments.

The High Court found that the media groups had permitted and urged comments from Facebook users by setting up a public Facebook page and posting content.

The judges said it did not matter that the companies deleted the comments later.

A spokesperson for Australia's Nine Network, one of the companies involved, said, "We are obviously disappointed with the outcome as it will have ramifications⁴ for what we can post on social media in the future."

Peter O'Brien is Voller's lawyer. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Voller is relieved the long legal fight, is over.

"People who might be vulnerable to social media mob attacks - they are protected," he said.

The High Court decision now permits Voller to continue his legal action against newspapers The Sydney Morning Herald⁵, The Australian and others.

The case will continue later in the New South Wales state Supreme⁶ Court. A trial there will decide whether the Facebook comments truly defamed Voller.

Words in This Story

obviously – adv. in a way that is easy to see, understand, or recognize

disappointed – adj. feeling sad, unhappy, or displeased⁷ because something was not as good as expected or because something you hoped for or expected did not happen

page – n. the information found at a single World Wide Web address

ramifications – n. something that is the result of an action, decision, etc.

vulnerable – adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。