Australia has abandoned a draconian plan to impose hefty fines on social media companies that fail to curb the dissemination of misinformation online. The government had proposed penalties of up to 5% of global revenue for these platforms but faced insurmountable opposition that made it clear the legislation would not pass through the Senate.
Pro-Censorship Communications Minister Michelle Rowland highlighted the lack of support for the bill in a statement, explaining, “Based on public statements and engagements with Senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate.”
This decision marked a retreat from what would have been a significant expansion of regulatory measures targeting tech giants, many of which are based outside of Australia. The proposed legislation had been framed as a way to enhance transparency and hold these companies accountable for their role in controlling harmful content.
Rowland tried to argue the need for such strict measures, noting that the bill would have “ushered in an unprecedented level of transparency, holding big tech to account for their systems and processes to prevent and minimize the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation online.”
Opposition came from various quarters, including the Liberal-National coalition, the Australian Greens, and crossbench senators, all of whom rejected the government’s overreaching approach.
Critics within the government’s ranks and beyond labeled the initiative as overly punitive and challenging to implement effectively. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young described the government’s efforts as a “half-baked option” during a televised statement on the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The government’s backdown comes as it faces declining popularity ahead of a federal election expected within the next year, with recent polls showing the center-left Labor government trailing behind the conservative opposition coalition.
