Exclusive: Social media companies are being warned they should sign up to an Australian code of conduct on free speech as federal MPs say they need more oversight following Donald Trump's Twitter ban | CroweDM nickbonyhady
Social media companies would have to sign up to an Australian code of conduct on the way they silence free speech and shut down accounts, under a federal push for greater oversight after Twitter and Facebook suspended posts US President Donald Trump.
Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has slammed Twitter's move and questioned why the company took down Mr Trump's tweets when it would not remove a Chinese Foreign Ministry tweet last year that showed an Australian soldier holding a knife to a young child's throat.
"It would be hypocritical of those in Australia who supported Twitter censoring the Chinese Foreign Ministry to now oppose Twitter and other social media companies taking the action they have against Donald Trump." "I think there is a strong case for the companies to establish a code of conduct which provides universal guidance as to the way that they respond to these issues and the circumstances in which they will exercise their editorial rights," Mr Zimmerman said.