The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Estonia did not breach Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) when it held an online news outlet liable for defamation based on comments posted in the comments section of its articles. The court conducted a four-part test in determining whether the news outlet’s rights had been violated. First, the ECtHR found that Estonia had interfered with the outlet’s right to free expression when it imposed civil penalties for the defamatory comments. Second, the court held that the award of damages was prescribed by law, and that the outlet violated Estonia’s Civil Code Act and Obligations Act. Third, the court noted that imposing civil penalties on the outlet pursued the legitimate aim of “protecting the reputation and rights of others.” Finally, the court engaged in a balancing test to determine whether Estonia’s interference with the outlet’s rights was necessary in a democratic society; it found that Estonia acted permissibly.