Hendo tells of troll battle
GEELONG-based Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson will speak out on Monday about her personal battle against anonymous trolls and a legal fight involving Twitter.
She will call on the tech giant to comply with Australian law and give police details about accounts engaged in alleged criminal conduct, such as stalking.
“In my case, Twitter has refused to comply with a police warrant issued by Geelong police demanding that Twitter hand over identifying information concerning two anonymous Twitter accounts,” she said.
In a speech to parliament last year, Senator Henderson said she had been subjected to “hundreds of degrading, vile and defamatory comments … which included labelling me a criminal facing jail”.
Anonymous trolls are set to be unmasked with tough, new laws that will give Australian
courts power to order social media giants to identify perpetrators or risk incurring hefty defamation payouts.
Senator Henderson said the platforms had shown a “reprehensible disregard for the safety and welfare” of Australians, but the reforms would hold them to account.
Facebook and Twitter remained tight-lipped about the changes, designed to better protect women and children.
But Prime Minister Scott Morrison fired a warning shot at the tech world, saying he would go further if the platforms did not comply.
“The online world shouldn’t be a wild west, where bots and bigots, trolls and others can just anonymously going around and harm people,” he said.
“Where the digital companies provide a digital shield to those who would seek to engage in that behaviour, then they are on the hook and we’ll be coming after them.
“We will consider whether we create public defender potential opportunities there for people if the social media companies don’t get this right. It remains under consideration.”
Opposition Leader Anthony
Albanese welcomed the potential crackdown on inappropriate behaviour on social media, saying anonymous Twitter trolls were affecting people’s lives and mental health.
“It shouldn’t be beyond the capacity of social media to be able to identify people who are engaged in inappropriate activity online,” he said.
Mr Morrison said he hoped to introduce the Bill in the parliament next year once it had undergone consultation.