Big tech regulation needed to protect people from online harm
The Human Rights Law Centre has urged the Albanese Government to implement strong laws which protect people from the insidious harm caused by big tech platforms such as Meta, X, and Google.
Australia was once a pioneer in online safety legislation, being the first to appoint an online safety commissioner. But Australia’s approach of letting big tech companies regulate themselves has resulted in mis and disinformation spreading like wildfire, a rise in cyberbullying and hate speech, and threats of abuse or violence against children.
In a submission to Statutory Review of the Online Safety Act 2021, the Human Rights Law Centre proposed the need for a risk-based regulatory approach based on the following principles:
Duty of Care: Establishing a legislated duty of care that places strict obligations on digital platforms to ensure the safety of their users.
Risk Assessment: Mandating platforms to conduct thorough assessments of their systems and products to identify risks to their users and to our democratic processes.
Risk Mitigation: Requiring platforms to implement effective measures to mitigate identified risks.
Transparency Measures: Mandating independently audited risk assessments that are publicly available, along with requiring big tech platforms give vetted researchers access to public-interest data.
Accountability Measures: Prioritising systemic changes over content removal and imposing significant penalties for non-compliance.
This approach is modelled on the European Union’s Digital Services Act, and emphasises digital platform transparency, accountability, and protection of human rights.
Comprehensive regulations focused on the risks that these platforms create or enable is essential to protect human rights and ensure the safety for the millions of people in Australia, including children, who use these platforms every day.
Quotes attributed to David Mejia-Canales, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre:
“Digital platforms are eroding Australia’s democracy and getting away with treating people as products. The Albanese Government must stand up and implement strong regulations that hold these platforms accountable for the systemic harm their products and business models can cause.”
“Every person should be able to connect with their community and feel safe online. But due to lax, ineffective self-regulation, big tech platforms are prioritising engagement over user safety, often amplifying harmful content, disinformation, and hate speech. The Albanese Government should enact online safety laws which protect people, like the EU’s Digital Services Act, which emphasise transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights online.”
Media contact:
Thomas Feng
Engagement Director
Human Rights Law Centre
0431 285 275
thomas.feng@hrlc.org.au