SYDNEY Social media executives could be jailed if they fail to remove extremist material from their platforms quickly, under controversial Australian laws adopted yesterday, in the wake of the live-streamed mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the laws, which make it illegal not to remove footage of"a terrorist act," murder, torture, rape and kidnapping, and spell out that Internet service, content and hosting providers will be held culpable. Platforms like Facebook and YouTube could face fines approaching billions of dollars - or 10 per cent of global annual turnover - for failing to allow the"expeditious removal" of the offending material, while executives could face three years in jail.
Technology companies, policy experts and lawyers pilloried the legislation - which was rammed through Parliament in two days and faces an uncertain future beyond elections expected in May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, facing a tough re-election battle, said:"Big social media companies have a responsibility to take every possible action to ensure their technology products are not exploited by murderous terrorists."