Libel case could nix global reach of Internet

Jeanie Straub writes “The habit of getting your daily news online could be affected by an Ontario libel case — Bangoura v. Washington Post — that media outlets worldwide are monitoring. The case deals in ‘key issues for the future of global freedom of expression,’ according to a coalition that includes The New York Times and other U.S. news sources as well as newspapers in Canada, Britain, Australia and Japan. Says Toronto Star legal affairs reporter Tracey Tyler: ‘At worst, the media fear the case … could force them to block access to their websites and electronic databases from some countries, shrinking the Internet’s global reach. Some news organizations, they say, may have to shut down their websites altogether.’ Get the full scoop at The Toronto Star