Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said she would sue Fox News for reporting that there are sections of Paris under Islamic law where police are afraid to go. Fox also aired a “security expert” who claimed that Birmingham, England was a Muslim city where non-Muslims do not enter. Fox apologized for the stories. (CNN Money, January 21, 2015, by Gregory Wallace and Brian Stelter)
Legal experts doubt that statements about cities would be subject to libel laws or that any judgment would be paid as federal law bars U.S. courts from enforcing overseas judgments. (The Christian Science Monitor, January 20, 2015, by Cristina Maza)
It is unlikely that Hidalgo would be able to sue in U.S. court since the wrongdoing occurred in France. It is also the case that for there to be libel French law requires a person to be identified. (CNN Money, January 21, 2015, by Gregory Wallace)
Writing for Blooomberg News, January 21, 2015, Noah Feldman argues that given Fox News’ reckless disregard for the truth and the threat that lies can overpower the truth, as a deterrent U.S. law should allow lawsuits and damages in such cases.