AUSTRALIA MULLS FINES FOR BIG TECH TO COMBAT SPREAD OF ‘MISINFORMATION’

Wed 28 June 2023:

Under new draft laws from the Australian government to combat the spread of “misinformation” and fake news on their platforms, social media corporations such as Twitter and Facebook might face significant fines, The Age reported.

Under the proposal put forth by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), social media companies will be required to keep records showing their efforts to curb the spread of such information online. Repeated failures to do so could see them facing fixed fines numbering in the millions of dollars.

“Mis- and disinformation sows division within the community, undermines trust and can threaten public safety,” Canberra’s communications minister Michelle Rowland said on Sunday. She added that “the Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians safe online.”

The proposed legislation was published on Saturday and is currently out for public consultation, which Rowland said was an opportunity for Australians and social media companies to air any objections to it.

Under the government proposal, the ACMA would be entitled to impose a new “code” of practice on social media platforms that repeatedly demonstrate an inability to monitor the spread of fake news on their services. It would also establish an industry-wide ‘standard’ to force the removal of certain content, requiring more robust methods to identify misinformation and an increased use of fact-checkers.

Systemic breaches of the code would see a company liable to a maximum fine of AUS $2.75 million (US $1.83 million) or 2% of global turnover – whichever is higher. The maximum penalty for breaking an industry ‘standard’ would be AUS $6.88 million (US $4.6 million) or 5% of global turnover.

A hypothetical fine under the latter terms for Facebook’s parent company Meta would amount to around AUS $8 billion (US $5.35 million), The Age daily noted.

The EU imposed similar rules governing social-media content last year which also saw social media companies liable for fines linked to annual global turnover.

Under the proposed legislation, the Canberra government would have no say over which internet content is “misinformation” or “disinformation.”Rowland emphasized that the bill is intended to “strike the right balance” between combating fake news and maintaining online freedom of expression.

Furthermore, the powers will not apply to isolated pieces of content, official electoral information, or professional news services. Google had already banned over 3,000 videos submitted to YouTube from Australia that contained potentially harmful or misleading material on Covid-19.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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