Albanese Government must stop big tech poisoning Australia’s democracy with lies and misinformation
The Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Albanese Government to step in and stop big tech regulating itself, while harmful misinformation and disinformation poisons Australia’s democracy, as part of a new report: Rights-First: Principles for Digital Platform Regulation.
Online platforms like Meta, X and TikTok should be a place where anyone can come together to communicate, share and connect safely. But Australia’s weak laws that allow big tech platforms to regulate themselves mean this is not the case. Digital platforms will never fix the problem without government intervention because they profit from amplifying misinformation and hate speech on their services.
This is impacting people’s safety online, distorting public debate, eroding trust in democracy and democratic institutions and causing real world harm to people and communities.
To address this, the Rights-First report recommends that the Albanese Government:
Appoint an independent regulator to set the rules and standards platforms must follow;
Require platforms to consider and address the human rights impacts of their products and services;
Impose a legislated duty of care on platforms for their users. This would make sure platforms have to make sure their systems and products do not cause or enable harm; and
Impose significant penalties for digital platform non-compliance.
The Albanese Government’s proposed Combatting Misinformation Bill (2024) would maintain the status quo where harm is perpetuated online, and a missed opportunity for Australia to once again, lead the world in digital regulation.
Quotes attributed to David Mejia-Canales, Senior Lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre:
“Technology should serve our communities, not put us at risk. But from fake election claims, to dangerous health myths, and hate speech that stokes violence, the spread of misinformation and disinformation is poisoning Australia’s democracy and our communities.
“The Albanese Government's proposed laws will continue to allow digital platforms to regulate themselves, and with no incentive for platforms to crack down on the content that fuels their profits - self-regulation is guaranteed to fail.
“We urge the Albanese Government to appoint an independent, well-resourced regulator to hold big tech platforms accountable for the damage their products may cause to people, society, or our democracy.
“Digital regulation must be grounded in human rights law, requiring platforms to protect people's safety, rights and freedoms.
“Australia once led the world in digital regulation, but we have quickly fallen behind. This is an opportunity for the government to prioritise strong and effective laws that make big tech platforms accountable.”
Media Contact:
Thomas Feng
Engagement Director
Human Rights Law Centre
0431 285 275
thomas.feng@hrlc.org.au
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
Human Rights Law Centre
0430 277 254
chandi.bates@hrlc.org.au