Justice Stephen Rothman

A contempt of court prosecution ordered against Google for failing to immediately remove allegedly defamatory online reviews has been thrown out, with a judge saying the internet giant did not act in reckless or negligent disregard of the court’s removal orders.

Media companies facing defamation suits by a former youth centre detainee are liable for third-party comments posted on their Facebook pages, a judge has ruled in a groundbreaking decision.

A barrister for a group of people set to give evidence against Craig McLachlan at his upcoming defamation trial lost a bid Friday to suppress subpoenas by the actor on the grounds that the definition of ‘sexual harassment’ is too much in “flux”.