Social media has a place but laws needed for moderation

KEITH Woods’ column (GCB, 4/12) about the strong message comedian Mr Baron-Cohen’s characters expose bigotry and racism in others paints a fresh canvas on how easily we can forget the glaring mistakes of the past.

Mr Baron-Cohen takes Facebook, Youtube, Google and Twitter to task by accusing them of putting profit before responsibility in allowing themselves to become a sewer of bigotry and vile conspiracy theories. He goes on to suggest that the tech giants be subject to the same laws as publishers of newspapers.

Keith Woods writes that in April, federal parliament passed a law against the sharing of violent material on social media. Is it enough?

For those who would argue that the above is a restriction of freedom of expression, this page you are reading counters that. There are robust and at times personally expressed opposing points of view on a range of topics. It’s democracy in action.

However, there is also a necessary filtration system to remove unbridled passion that exposes hatred, defamation and racism to name a few.

It would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything and without disagreement there would be no motivation to move forward. Complacency has no direction but inward.

Social media has its place but uncontrolled it can become a terrifying propaganda weapon with the potential to take our society in directions that can damage its fabric. We each have a responsibility in moderating what we do, say and write but as in the real world we also need the laws to reinforce those responsibilities.

BOB JANSSEN, GOLD COAST