Episode 312 - Facebook Comments and Defamation

The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove

In this episode, we talk about the recent decision by the High Court of Australia that ruled that the owners of Facebook pages are potentially liable for defamatory comments made by commentators in a post. We then explored briefly what is defamatory and the potential defences. We also looked at whether members of the public who are owners or administrators of Facebook pages for community groups should think about their liability and consider resigning or consider changing the legal ownership of the Facebook pages.

We then discussed voluntary assisted dying in QLD and the legislation that is being debated by our parliament. Shae attended a rally and we heard about that.

We then moved on to talk about abortion law in Texas and we discussed how such right-wing Christian activism can and will make its way into Australia unless we do something about it.

We briefly mentioned a female Japanese nationalist leader who might become Prime Minister.

We discussed the environment minister, Susan Ley, who has approved the extension of a coal mine. She said that she wasn't breaching her duty to young people because if Australia did not sell the coal then some other country would and therefore she has not added to the carbon in the atmosphere with this decision.

We moved on to talk about Covid related issues including whether the un-vaccinated should be forced to take vaccinations depending on the nature of their job and depending on the nature of the activity that they want to participate in. We looked at existing restrictions on freedom which are often overlooked but are similar to the proposed restrictions on the un-vaccinated.

We finished off with a brief discussion on some climate change issues including historical carbon dioxide emissions from various regions of the world since 1750 and how it is unfair to ask developing countries to bear equal responsibility.

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Time stamps:

00:00 Welcome to the Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove Podcast

00:39 Introducing the Team and What's on Today's Agenda

01:23 Deep Dive into Defamation Laws and Social Media Responsibility

04:29 Exploring the Implications of Defamation Laws on Social Media Admins

16:09 The Battle for Voluntary Assisted Dying Laws in Queensland

20:22 Texas Abortion Law: A Step Towards Gilead?

26:43 The Global Struggle for Secularism and the Rise of Religious Extremism

39:53 COVID-19 Vaccination: Mandates, Myths, and the Path Forward

46:03 Debating Mandatory Vaccinations and Public Health Measures

47:11 Public Opinion on Mandatory Vaccinations for Various Professions

47:42 Challenges in Aged Care: Vaccination Hesitancy Among Nurses

49:31 Exploring the Impact of Mandatory Vaccinations on Different Sectors

57:49 The Legal Landscape: Businesses, Vaccinations, and Entry Rights

01:00:32 Addressing Misinformation and Celebrity Influence on Vaccination

01:04:29 The Ezekiel Declaration: Christian Groups Against Vaccine Passports

01:07:39 Climate Change Discourse and Policy Debates

01:14:12 The Role of Education in Addressing Sexual Harassment and Climate Change

01:19:57 Reflecting on Joe Rogan's COVID-19 Experience and Views

01:23:57 Concluding Remarks and Future Topics

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