Australia drops social media misinformation bill amid lack of support
Date
11/24/2024 8:36:20 AM
(MENAFN) The Australian government has abandoned its plan to impose fines on social media companies that fail to curb the spread of “seriously harmful mis and disinformation” online.
The ruling Labor Party admitted that the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill lacked sufficient parliamentary support to pass.
In a statement on Sunday, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said, “based on public statements and engagements with Senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate.” She criticized the bill’s opponents for prioritizing “partisanship above any attempt to navigate the public interest.”
Sky News reported that opposition to the legislation came from the conservative Liberal-National coalition, the Australian Greens, and several crossbench senators, who argued the bill was an effort to stifle free speech. Rowland urged these lawmakers to support other government proposals aimed at “strengthen[ing] democratic institutions and keep[ing] Australians safe online.”
She also asserted that “80 percent of Australians want action” to tackle “seriously harmful mis and disinformation [that] poses a threat to safety, the integrity of elections, democracy and national security.”
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