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The Australian government has withdrawn a bill that would have imposed fines on online platforms Up to 5 percent of their global revenues if they fail to stop the spread of misinformation.
The bill, which was supported by the Labor government, would have allowed the Australian Communications and Media Authority to set enforceable rules around misinformation on digital platforms.
in statementCommunications Minister Michelle Rolland said the bill would have “led to an unprecedented level of transparency, holding big tech companies accountable for their systems and processes to prevent and reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation online.”
However, she said, “Based on public statements and interactions with senators, it is clear that there is no path for this proposal to get through the Senate.”
When a revised version of the bill was introduced in September, Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), criticized it in a one-word post: “Fascists.”
Shadow Communications Secretary David Coleman has been a vocal opponent of the bill, arguing that it will push platforms to suppress free speech to avoid fines. Although the bill seems dead now, Coleman to publish He described it as a “shocking attack on freedom of expression that has betrayed our democracy” and called on the Prime Minister to “rule out any future version of this legislation”.
Meanwhile, Rowland’s statement called for Parliament’s support on “other proposals to strengthen democratic institutions and keep Australians safe online”, including legislation targeting deepfakes, enforcing “truth in election political advertising”, and regulating artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is also pursuing a plan to ban social media for children under 16.
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