A landmark judgement by the High Court of Australia has reignited debate over whether or not our legal system is fit for purpose in the age of social media.

The Court found that news organisations are liable for the comments posted on their Facebook pages.

The decision has forced many news sites to disable comments - impacting how each of us find and consume the news.

Today, legal affairs editor for The Saturday Paper, Richard Ackland on what this High Court decision means for how we use the internet, and how our courts are out of step with the online world.

Guest: Legal Affairs Editor for The Saturday Paper, Richard Ackland.

Background reading: Judges v The Internet in The Saturday Paper

Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The High Court judgement that could change the internet

A daily news show from the publisher of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. Hear from the country’s best reporters, covering the news as it affects Australia. This is news with narrative, every weekday.

News

Daily News

An attack at a Western Sydney church last week was inextricably linked to social media.
The bishop who was stabbed is a social media celebrity, the attack itself was live-streamed, and both the attack and the reaction may have been inflamed by online extremism.
The Australian government is so concerned it has picked a fight with the global social media giants X and Meta, ordering them to pull down content about the attack.
Today, counter-terrorism expert and Lowy Institute fellow Lydia Khalill, on the attack, whether it was an act of terrorism and how we can do more to prevent extremism.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
Guest: Project director of the Lowy Institute’s Digital Threats to Democracy Project and expert on counter-terrorism, Lydia Khalil

The stabbing of a TikTok bishop

Grace Tame knows how to advocate. Her campaigning for survivors of sexual assault and abuse helped to create real change and pushed powerful institutions to be better.
Now, Tame is turning her focus onto something she has lived with her whole life and which is now on the agenda in Canberra, – autism and neurodivergence.
Today, former Australian of the Year and contributor to The Saturday Paper, Grace Tame, on Australia’s first attempt at a national autism strategy – and why we must get it right.


Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
Guest: former Australian of the year and Contributor to The Saturday Paper, Grace Tame

Grace Tame is not a cat, she’s autistic

It’s now been a week since the Federal Court of Australia’s Justice Michael Lee ruled it was substantially true that Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittney Higgins in a minister’s office at Parliament House back in 2019.
In other cases, that may have been the end of the matter. But this case has drawn in dozens of characters, with careers ended, others on the rocks and Channel Seven appearing as if it could implode.
Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton, on who emerges from the wreckage of one of the most dramatic defamation cases we’ve seen in years.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
Guest: Senior reporter for The Saturday Paper, Rick Morton

Can Channel Seven survive the Lehrmann verdict?

Today, columnist Elizabeth Farrelly will read her piece about our modern cities and how they relate to the history of how humanity has imagined the perfect city.
Farrelly is one of Australia’s foremost writers on urban development and the communities of our cities – having earned devoted readers at the Sydney Morning Herald and now at Schwartz Media, inThe Saturday Paper.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
Guest: Columnist Elizabeth Farrelly

The Weekend Read: Elizabeth Farrelly on the city of the future

At the end of the day, the people who decide what path Australia takes to solve the housing crisis are those in government. In this episode, we speak to the federal minister for housing, Julie Collins.
Does the government think we’re in a crisis? How does she plan to ensure we all have a safe and affordable place to call home? And how will she convince voters in the next election that Labor has the boldest ideas?
In this final episode of 7am’s five-part series, we dive into what the government is doing and whether there is more that could be done.

Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
Guest: Federal minister for housing, Julie Collins

The High Court judgement that could change the internet

Download our free app to listen on your phone