Australia to make Big Tech hand over misinformation data
The Hindu
The laws broadly align with efforts by Europe to curb damaging online content, which are due to take effect by the end of 2022.
Australia's media regulator will be able to force internet companies to provide internal data about how they have handled misinformation and disinformation, the latest measure by the country's government to crack down on Big Tech.
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will also be able to enforce an internet industry code on uncooperative platforms, the federal government said on Monday, joining governments around the world seeking to reduce the spread of harmful falsehoods online.
The planned laws are a response to an ACMA report that found four-fifths of Australian adults had experienced misinformation about COVID-19 and 76% thought online platforms should do more to cut the amount of false and misleading content shared online.
The laws broadly align with efforts by Europe to curb damaging online content, which are due to take effect by the end of 2022, although the European Union has said it wants even tougher measures to stop disinformation given some claims by Russian state-owned media during the invasion of Ukraine.
The crackdown also comes as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison faces what is expected to be a tight federal election next month, with his conservative Liberal Party-led coalition currently lagging the main opposition Labor Party in the polls.
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