Google Is Liable for Defamatory Videos Targeting Lawmaker, Court Rules

SYDNEY—An Australian court found Alphabet Google liable for defamatory videos posted on its YouTube platform that targeted a senior politician, a reminder that social-media companies could be held responsible in some jurisdictions for what users put online.

A judge in the Federal Court of Australia on Monday ordered Google to pay 715,000 Australian dollars, equivalent to about $515,000, to John Barilaro, who was formerly the deputy premier of New South Wales state, which includes Sydney. Despite a request from Mr. Barilaro, Google didn’t take down the videos, which used racist names to refer to Mr. Barilaro and were posted by a self-styled comedian, the court said. Some of the videos got hundreds of thousands of views.