I AM concerned about the Albanese government’s proposed new laws on misinformation and disinformation when, around the world, we are seeing increased censorship and governments inclined to see themselves as “true” and opponents of government policy as “false”.
A Labor Bill before Federal Parliament would see publishers on digital platforms, like social media or apps, lose their content or account access as platforms police “misinformation” for fear of government penalties.
It opens many doors that lead to abuses of power and could amount to censorship of dissenting opinions.
The significant penalties associated with this legislation potentially places substantial power in the hands of the regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
In their submission on the Bill, the Australian Human Rights Commission has warned against giving anybody the power to be the “sole arbiter of truth”.
Freedom of speech and expression are fundamental principles in a democratic society.
The definitions of “misinformation” and the “harm” the Bill is trying to prevent are very broad.
For instance, “harm” potentially includes disruption of society or harm to the environment.
“Serious harm” is not defined in the Bill, and these days it depends on the sensitivities of the reader.
Will ACMA force a social media post be taken down because it is critical of a government decision?
A federal Opposition’s job is to hold government to account – how much harder will that be if what is deemed “misinformation” is aggressively policed?
These draft laws banning misinformation online need very careful review if they are to pass.
Without proper restraint, will Labor be emboldened to revisit their 2013 media regulation push and combat misinformation or so-called “fake news” in our news media next?
