SYDNEY, Sept 12 (Askume) – Australia said it will fine online platforms up to 5% of global revenue if they fail to stop the spread of misinformation online, a move that reflects a global drive to curb borderless tech giants but angers free speech advocates.
The government said it would let tech platforms develop codes of conduct to prevent the spread of dangerous falsehoods, subject to regulatory approval. If platforms fail to do so, regulators will set their own standards and then fine companies that do not comply.
The legislation, to be introduced in Parliament on Thursday, targets false content that harms the integrity of elections or public health, defames a group or incites harm to others, or poses a risk of harm to critical infrastructure or emergency services.
The bill is part of a broader regulatory crackdown in Australia, where politicians have complained that foreign-registered tech platforms are eroding the country’s sovereignty, and was proposed ahead of a federal election due in a year.
Facebook owner Meta (META.O) has said it could block professional news content if forced to pay royalties, while moderating most content.
“Misinformation and disinformation pose a serious threat to the safety and wellbeing of Australians, as well as to our democracy, society and economy,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said in a statement.
“Taking no action and allowing this problem to fester is not an option.”
An initial version of the bill was criticised for giving the Australian Communications and Media Authority too much power in 2023 to determine what constitutes misinformation and disinformation, terms that deliberately spread falsehoods.
Rowland said the new bill stipulates that media regulators will not have the power to force the removal of individual content or user accounts. The new version of the bill protects professional journalism, arts and religious content, but not government-authorized content.
Citing the Australian Media and Literary Alliance, the minister said nearly four in five Australians wanted to tackle the spread of misinformation.
Meta declined to comment. About nine in 10 Australians are Facebook users, according to company data. DIGI, the industry organization to which Meta belongs, said the new system strengthens the anti-disinformation code drawn up in 2022, but there are still many problems.
X could not immediately be reached for comment.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Patterson said that although he had not yet reviewed the amended bill, “the legitimately held political beliefs of Australians should not be subject to censorship by governments or foreign social media platforms”.
