Online Platforms Get New Protections From Defamation Under Reforms in NSW

By adopting the new laws, media companies can rely on a new defence for digital intermediaries who ‘innocently disseminate’ defamatory content.

In this photo illustration reports on Facebook's news ban on Australian and International content in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 18, 2021. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The New South Wales (NSW) government has adopted changes to its Defamation Amendment Act 2023. Together with the ACT, they become the first jurisdictions to modernise defamation laws in Australia.

These changes include improving the balance between freedom of speech and protection of reputation when an individual publishes content through a digital intermediary.