Social giants crossed the line
Social media giants have been ordered to take down violent footage and threatened with multimillion-dollar fines as leaders grapple with a surge in misinformation and harmful content online.
Leaders have issued stern warnings to social media platforms who they said have aided in the rapid circulation of false information and violent footage spread in the aftermath of the Bondi Junction stabbing and the alleged terror incident at a Wakeley church this week.
Hours after each incident, both graphic footage of the events and conspiracy theories as to who was responsible began to circulate widely on social media.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said both Meta-owned Facebook and X have been directed to remove violent footage of Saturday’s massacre and the church stabbing off of their platforms.
She reprised her vow to grant the media watchdog new powers to fine companies millions of dollars if they fail to remove disinformation and harmful content off their platforms, which are expected to be introduced in new safety laws later this year.
“Social media has revolutionised the way people connect but it has also become a vector for serious harms, including to spread dangerous misinformation spread at scale and speed that threatens safety, undermines democracy and sows division within the community,” Ms Rowland said.
“This is a problem with real world consequences. When false, misleading or deceptive information spreads like wildfire on social media, the outcomes can be disastrous, particularly when these same platforms undermine journalistic content.”
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman said X and Meta should face the “full force of the law” if they refuse to take down distressing or misleading posts.