Elon Musk sees himself as a champion of free speech. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
A proposed Federal Government law that gives it the power to crack down on misinformation on social media platforms has been criticised as an attack on free speech by tech billionaire Elon Musk and several right-leaning Australian MPs.
A new bill, introduced to Parliament on Thursday (12 September), aims to give the regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), new powers to gather information, keep records and impose penalties on digital platforms (such as Facebook and X) to combat what it sees as “seriously harmful misinformation and disinformation”.
Under the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill, ACMA would attempt to impose a maximum fine of 5 per cent of a digital platform’s global revenue if it were deemed to spread misinformation.
“Fascists,” was the one-word comment tech billionaire and X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk made in response to the prospect of this on his platform.
Mr Musk sees himself as a champion of free speech and has also criticised other national governments that have attempted to regulate social media.
Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten was quick to hit back at his latest slur.
“Elon Musk has more positions on our free speech than the Kama Sutra,” he said in an interview on Channel Nine.
“When it’s in his commercial interests, he is the champion of free speech; when he doesn’t like it, he’s going to shut it all down.”
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten hit back at Elon Musk. Photo: Region.
X has been criticised for amplifying misinformation in the wake of recent news events.
“Mis- and disinformation about the stabbing attacks in Bondi Junction and recently in Southport, UK, are just two examples that illustrate the need for digital platforms to do more to prevent and respond to its spread,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said in her speech to introduce the bill.
“In its 2023 report to government, the ACMA called on industry to take further steps to review the scope of the code and its ability to adapt quickly to technology and service changes. The code has only nine signatories – major digital platforms like X and Telegram are not signatories, meaning there are wide gaps in coverage across the digital platform industry.”
Senator Gerard Rennick, a former Liberal MP who recently became an independent, criticised the fact the bill excluded education institutes and government departments from its remit.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realise that the Misinformation Bill is about shutting down people who go against the government narrative,” he wrote on Facebook.
“To exclude governments, media and universities just goes to show how belligerent and unashamed the authorities have become in exerting power … this Bill needs to be killed stone cold dead.”
Nationals MP Matt Canavan called it “one of the worst pieces of legislation to ever come before our democratic parliament”.
“This is a bill to protect government bureaucrats from criticism,” he said.
Minister Rowland, though, said her government needed to address a growing problem.
“Misinformation and disinformation pose a serious threat to the safety and wellbeing of Australians, as well as to our democracy, society and economy,” she said.
”Doing nothing and allowing this problem to fester is not an option.
“The government is committed to keeping Australians safe online, and that includes ensuring the ACMA has the powers it needs to hold digital platforms to account for misinformation and disinformation on their services.”
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