All articles tagged with #libel law
The New York Times is confident it can defeat President Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit, with its executive editor asserting that Trump is wrong on the facts and law, and emphasizing the importance of defending press freedom against such legal challenges.
The Bosnian Serb parliament has passed a law recriminalizing libel, which critics argue will curtail freedom of expression and silence critical media. The law, championed by pro-Russian Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, reintroduces fines of up to 60,000 euros for libel, far beyond the means of most people in the impoverished Balkan nation. Journalist organizations and international rights groups have called for the law to be revoked, warning of devastating consequences on freedom of speech. Bosnian Serb journalists have held protests against the amendment, while Dodik and his ruling party seek to tighten their grip on power in the Serb-run mini-state.
Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million, avoiding a trial that could have revealed more about the network's operations and redefined libel law in the US. Dominion claimed that Fox repeatedly aired allegations that the company's voting machines were rigged against Trump in 2020 while knowing the accusations were untrue. Fox contended that it was reporting newsworthy charges made by supporters of the Republican president. The settlement comes after Dominion produced evidence that prominent people at Fox didn't believe the fraud allegations, even as the network gave Trump's allies airtime to repeat them.
The defamation case filed by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News is expected to raise debates over journalistic ethics, misinformation, and the ability of Americans to sort out facts and falsehoods in a polarized age. The trial will also tackle some of the knottier questions of American libel law, including the limits of journalistic responsibility and the First Amendment protections of the media's absolute right to cover the news. Dominion is seeking $1.6 billion in damages after Fox News aired false claims that the company had engaged in an elaborate conspiracy to steal the 2020 presidential election for Joseph R. Biden Jr. The trial may feature testimony from high-profile Fox figures, including Rupert Murdoch, Tucker Carlson, Maria Bartiromo, and Suzanne Scott.