The Australian government has introduced groundbreaking legislation to combat online bullying and harassment. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Sunday that he would put social media and anti-trolling legislation into parliament. Social media companies would be considered publishers under the legislation and might be held accountable for defamatory statements made on their services.
According to the government, they could avoid accountability if they offer information that allows a victim to identify the troll and file a defamation lawsuit against him. Morrison stated that the proposed measures were aimed at enforcing consistent norms both online and offline.
The proposed rule, if passed by Parliament, would allow victims of defamatory online comments to settle disputes by using the social media platform’s new complaints mechanism to seek the removal of the remarks and identify the source.
If the platform fails to cooperate, the complainant may request the poster’s personal information. If the data are not disclosed, a court order can be issued to compel their disclosure, perhaps resulting in defamation charges.
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