Australia Scraps Controversial Misinformation Bill Facing Senate Defeat
The Australian government withdraws a bill that would have fined tech giants up to 5% of global revenue for failing to combat misinformation. Lawmakers now shift their focus toward regulating deepfakes, political advertising, and AI.
The Australian government withdraws a proposed bill that would have fined online platforms up to 5% of their global revenue for failing to stop the spread of misinformation. The legislation would have empowered the Australian Communications and Media Authority to create enforceable rules for digital platforms. Communications minister Michelle Rowland states that the bill would have brought unprecedented transparency and held big tech accountable, but acknowledges there is no pathway to pass the proposal through the Senate.
The bill faces intense backlash from various political figures and tech leaders. Shadow communications minister David Coleman argues that the threat of massive fines would force platforms to suppress free speech. Elon Musk also publicly criticizes the legislation, calling the proponents "Fascists" in a brief social media post. The combined opposition ultimately dooms the bill, leading Coleman to declare victory for free speech and demand the prime minister rule out any future versions of the legislation.
Despite dropping the misinformation bill, the government continues to pursue other online safety measures. Rowland calls for parliamentary support on new proposals targeting deepfakes, enforcing truth in political advertising, and regulating artificial intelligence. Additionally, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese advances a separate plan to ban social media access for children under the age of 16.