Voller v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Voller v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd; Voller v Australian News Channel Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 766

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Voller v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Voller v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd; Voller v Australian News Channel Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 766 Hearing dates: 6 – 8 February 2019 Date of orders: 24 June 2019 Decision date: 24 June 2019 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Rothman J Decision: (1) The Court answers the following question in the following manner:

"Whether the plaintiff has established the publication element of the cause of action of defamation against the defendant in respect of each of the Facebook comments by third-party users?"

Answer: Yes

(2) The defendant in each proceeding shall jointly and severally pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to the hearing of the separate question.

(3) Leave is reserved to the parties to make application within seven (7) days for any special or different order as to costs. Catchwords: DEFAMATION – Publication – Generally – Public Facebook Page – Liability of Media Company Owner of Public Facebook Page for comments by third-party users – probable that defamatory comments would be posted – Public Facebook Page operated for commercial interests of Media Company – Capacity to prevent and control postings – resources required – no assessment performed of likelihood of defamatory comments – Discussion of general test for primary or first publisher – liability of subordinate or secondary publisher – innocent dissemination – separate question asked – Media Company owners of Public Facebook Page held to be primary publisher Legislation Cited: Defamation Act 2005 (NSW), s 32 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Al Muderis v Duncan (No 3) [2017] NSWSC 726 Bleyer v Google Inc (2014) 88 NSWLR 670; [2014] NSWSC 897 Bunt v Tilley [2007] 1 WLR 1243; [2006] EWHC 407 (QB) Byrne v Deane [1937] 1 KB 818 Crookes v Newton [2011] 3 SCR 269 Cubby Inc v Compuserve Inc (1991) 776 F Supp 135 (SDNY) Dow Jones & Co Inc v Gutnick (2002) 210 CLR 575; [2002] HCA 56 Emmens v Pottle (1885) 16 QBD 354) Google Inc v Duffy (2017) 129 SASR 304; [2017] SASCFC 130 Lee v Wilson (1934) 51 CLR 276; [1934] HCA 60 Murray v Wishart [2014] 3 NZLR 722; [2014] NZCA 461 Oriental Press Group Ltd v Fevaworks Solutions Ltd (2013) 16 HKCFAR 366; [2013] HKCFA 47 Polias v Ryall [2014] NSWSC 1692 Sadiq v Baycorp (NZ) Limited [2008] NZHC 403 Tamiz v Google Inc [2012] EWHC 499 Tamiz v Google Inc (2013) 1 WLR 2151; [2013] EWCA Civ 68 Thompson v Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 574; [1996] HCA 38 Urbanchich v Drummoyne Municipal Council (1991) Aust Torts Reports 81 – 127; (1998) A Def R 50-035 (Supreme Court (NSW), Hunt J, 22 December 1988, unrep) Vizetelly v Mudie's Select Library Ltd (1900) 2 QB 170 Webb v Bloch (1928) 41 CLR 331; [1928] HCA 50 Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2017/219519: Dylan Voller (Plaintiff) Nationwide News Pty Ltd (Defendant)