Australia to propose reforms to combat anonymous online trolls, strengthen defamation laws

In a bid to strengthen the fight against cybercrime, Australia has decided to propose legislation to force global social media giants to unmask anonymous users, who post defamatory content on their platforms. A press release by the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office informed that the reforms will be proposed in the draft legislation which will ensure that social media companies, dubbed as "publishers", can be held liable for defamatory comments posted on their platforms, after Australian apex court in the 2019 Dylan Voller defamation case ruled that publishers can be held liable for third party comments in an online forum, as reported by the Associated Press.

According to the press release, companies like Twitter and Facebook would be required to pull down the "digital shield" of protections that they currently extend to anonymous trolls online. The new legislation will also introduce a complaints mechanism, allowing victims of defamatory comments, bully or social media attacks can point out to the "publishers" the questionable content and ask them to take the material down. However, the legislation draft will clarify that "everyday Australians and Australian organisations with a social media page are not legally considered publishers and cannot be held liable for any defamatory comments posted on their page, providing them with certainty," the press release mentioned.

"Social media can too often be a cowards’ palace, where the anonymous can bully, harass and ruin lives without consequence,” the Prime Minister said, as per the release. "We cannot allow social media platforms to provide a shield for anonymous trolls to destroy reputations and lives. We cannot allow social media platforms to take any responsibility for the content on their platforms. They cannot enable it, disseminate it, and wash their hands of it. This has to stop," he added.

Referring to the to-be-proposed bill, Attorney-General of Australia, Michaelia Cash, stated that that the package reforms would complement the defamation reforms currently being progressed in partnership with states and territories, and sit alongside the Government’s commitment to improving online safety.

As per the press release, the exposure draft of the bill will be released in the coming week.

UK safety bill: Trolls could face two years prison for mental harm

The Australian online safety legislation comes after the UK introduced its online safety legislation earlier this month. The proposed Act is intended to bolster internet security and safety for users. The draft is established to form a new regulatory framework to tackle harmful online content. It covers mainly firms that allow users to upload content online and interact with one another.

Under the provisions of the bill, an internet 'troll' could face prison for up to two years for words or materials that cause "probable psychological injury." The move came after Britain recorded high-profile internet abuse cases of sports journalists and Premiere League sportsmen.

(Image: AP/Unsplash)