Solomon Islands High Court Judge Augustine Aulanga said that the right to use and make comments on Facebook is not an absolute but qualified and subject to certain restrictions imposed by the law. Photo: Serge Tenani / Hans Lucas via AFP
By Georgina Maka'a, In-depth Solomons
Facebook users in Solomon Islands have been warned that while they have the right to post or comment on the popular social media platform, they must do so with care and responsibility.
High Court Judge Commissioner Augustine Aulanga issued the warning recently when he ordered two people to pay compensation to a prominent businessman for defaming him on Facebook.
"While in this modern era, Facebook provides an efficient and fastest way of communication, the right to use and make comments on Facebook is not an absolute but qualified and subject to certain restrictions imposed by the law," Aulanga said.
"This is to avoid an infringement of rights of another which can be actionable in the Court."
In the two recent defamation cases, Aulanga ordered a young lawyer Ellington Kabui to pay SB$70,000 to Criag Day, the chief executive of Solomon Motors Ltd.
He also ordered the director of government communications unit George Hemming to pay Day SB$20,000 for a similar offence.
Day, an Australia-born Solomon Islands citizen, sued Kabui and Hemming separately over posts and comments the duo made against him on Facebook.
Kabui referred to Day in his Facebook post as a dangerous person, a professional con-man and a white supremacist.
Kabui failed to file a defence when taken to court, resulting in Day obtainbing a default judgement against him.
Hemming had commented during his Facebook exchanges with Day that the businessman had failed to settle outstanding bills of his workers - a claim Day flatly rejected.
Commissioner Aulanga said Hmming's reference to the unpaid bills of Day's employees can be construed to have ridiculed and disrepute the business and personal reputation of Day.
Pior to suing the two, Day requested both individuals to apologise to him publicly, but they refused.
-This article was originally published by In-depth Solomons.