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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Technology
Amanda Meade

‘Powerful’ US laws could shield Google from paying John Barilaro defamation damages, experts say

Google and YouTube logos
A social media and politics expert says US free speech protections could ‘provide a shield’ for Google. Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

Australian courts may not be able to enforce an order that Google pay John Barilaro more than $700,000 in defamation damages because of free speech protections in US law, legal academics say.

Google, the owner of YouTube, was on Monday ordered to pay the former New South Wales deputy premier aggravated damages over a series of defamatory “racist” and “abusive” videos published on the YouTube channel Friendlyjordies.

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