‘Powerful’ US laws could shield Google from paying John Barilaro defamation damages, experts say

Tech giant was ordered to pay $715,000 over YouTube videos but academics say courts may struggle to enforce it

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing

Australian courts may not be able to enforce an order that Google pay John Barilaro more than $700,000 in defamation damages because of free speech protections in US law, legal academics say.

Google, the owner of YouTube, was on Monday ordered to pay the former New South Wales deputy premier aggravated damages over a series of defamatory racist" and abusive" videos published on the YouTube channel Friendlyjordies.