Malaysian news site fined $124,000 for five reader comments
A Malaysian news site was fined the equivalent of nearly $124,000 for five comments below an article. News outlet Malaysiakini has raised money to cover the fee of 500,000 ringgit, but human rights advocates say it was targeted for its reporting on government corruption, and they worry that the case could chill political speech online.
The New York Times reported the verdict on Friday, when a panel of judges found Malaysiakini guilty of contempt of court. The outlet argued that it wasn’t responsible for reader comments, and it removed them after police warned that the comments illegally insulted Malaysia’s judiciary. But the court said it should have preemptively moderated the comments and never allowed them online.
Malaysiakini is a prominent independent outlet, and it’s earned international accolades for its reporting over the past two decades. It’s faced periodic legal harassment within the country, though, culminating in the contempt of court charges that were filed last year. Co-founder Steven Gan also faced charges and a possible prison sentence. Gan’s situation was compared to that of Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, whom authorities accused of “cyber libel” after her site Rappler published critical reporting. But unlike Ressa, who was convicted last year, Gan was acquitted of personal charges.
The Times reports that this case was the first of its type brought against a news outlet in Malaysia, and Amnesty International Malaysia called it “a grave setback for freedom of expression in the country.” But Malaysia’s internet crackdown echoes an international push to make sites legally responsible for what users post — including in the United States, where lawmakers have taken aim at a rule offering blanket protection against liability.
A Malaysian news site was fined the equivalent of nearly $124,000 for five comments below an article. News outlet Malaysiakini has raised money to cover the fee of 500,000 ringgit, but human rights advocates say it was targeted for its reporting on government corruption, and they worry that the case…
Recent Posts
- Surprisingly cheap Pro monitor provides unique features that even Apple Studio display doesn’t — AOC’s new monitors offer KVM capability, a whopping 11 ports and Hollywood-grade Calman software compatibility
- After 16 years, Ecobee is shutting down support for the original smart thermostat
- FDA qualifies Apple Watch’s AFib history for use in clinical studies
- Amazon CEO’s anti-union comments broke federal laws, labor judge rules
- The last thing the iPad needs is a spec bump
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011