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In its submission to parliamentary inquiry into the influence of international digital platforms, the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) said Australian media laws are lagging behind big tech firms and has allowed disinformation and hate speech to “spread like wildfire” in Australia’s democracy.
This comes as the majority of Australians now rely on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated with current events and getting in touch with friends and family.
“While Australia has been an early mover on reform for online safety and digital media, it lags on key aspects of regulating digital platforms,” the HRLC said in a statement.
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Among the submissions the HRLC made was for the federal movement to move away from self-regulatory and co-regulatory models for digital platforms and replace it with mechanisms written by government regulators or legislators.
In its submission, the HRLC criticised Australian reliance on rules that were written by the tech industry itself, which has “led to demonstrably weaker protections against harm.”
“Co-regulation is inappropriate for such a powerful and high-risk sector, in which business models frequently come into conflict with community needs and the public interest,” the HRLC said.
HRLC also called for the creation of a comprehensive digital regulatory framework for Australia, focused on transparency and risks arising from platforms’ systems and processes. Among the measures to be included in this framework are measures to give users greater control over the collection and use of their personal data.
“Disinformation online is a democratic problem with a democratic solution. We should have greater control over our own data and we need greater transparency around why certain content floods our feeds. We need comprehensive laws and checks in place to limit the amplification of disinformation that causes harm and undermines trust in institutions,” said Scott Cosgriff, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre.
Paulo Rizal is a content producer for Comms Room. He writes content around popular media, journalism, social media, and more.
