The Coalition has vowed to prioritize defeating Labor's controversial online misinformation bill, claiming it grants excessive power to social media companies and could stifle freedom of expression.
Opposition to the Albanese government's online misinformation bill has ramped up with a shadow minister revealing that defeating the “very bad bill” will be a “priority” for the Coalition .
Liberal Senator Jane Hume said the Coalition would deliver its own policy to combat misinformation ahead of the next election but “our priority right now must be defeating this very bad bill”. “And finally, there are unprecedented levels of power that have been bestowed upon the minister. That's something we feel very uncomfortable with.”
The regulator will also be given new powers to approve enforceable industry codes for dealing with misinformation and disinformation, or make standards itself, if it deems platforms have failed to address the issue through self-regulation. “All we're ensuring is that the online platforms have similar codes of practice and policies in place to ensure that they're publishing the correct and truthful information as the mainstream media have.When challenged on why the government should be the arbiter of what is true, the minister said that it was proper for governments to make rules to “ensure that we have integrity in our media system”, and online platforms were no different.
“Think it won’t affect you? Think again. If you challenge government policies, criticise election outcomes, or question health advice, your posts could be erased without warning.” When asked what the Coalition would propose as an alternative to the bill, shadow home affairs minister James Paterson pointed to a recent senate inquiry into foreign interference.
Misinformation Legislation Social Media Freedom Of Expression Coalition
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