TikTok in trouble again as Australian PM assures ‘strong action’ against suicide video

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison, on September 9, urged social media companies to take more responsibility for offensive contents after videos of a man apparently taking his own life surfaced on TikTok. While Chinese-owned social media platform said that it is working to remove clips and ban users who keep trying to spread video through app, Australian regulators ruled out prosecuting TikTok over same. While calling video ‘disgraceful’, Morrison said that eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant is taking ‘strong action’ against clip. 

Australian PM said, “Those who run se organizations have a responsibility to those who are watching and particularly when it comes to children”. 

He added, “My mess to those social media companies is, yes, your products are changing world, but with that comes a great responsibility and you need to be accountable and you need to be responsible for making sure that your product does t harm Australians, and my government will be making sure that we do everything to hold you to account for that”. 

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Video is t ‘abhorrent violence material’

After New Zealand’s mosque attacks, in which an Australian gunman used a helmet-mounted camera to broadcast live on Facebook as he murdered 51 worshippers in two mosques, Australian government had taken extraordinary legislative steps to remove violent content from internet platforms. Under new laws, social media executives can be imprisoned if ir platforms stream real violence. However, eSafety Commissioner’s office reportedly said that TikTok could t be prosecuted under law. 

office said that video is t considered ‘abhorrent violence material’ because it is t violent terrorism, murder or attempted murder, rape torture or kidnapping. Grant reportedly in a statement informed that office is working with social media companies to remove content and monitor situation. She added that social media companies need to use tools at ir disposal to detect and remove content much more quickly. 

(With AP inputs)

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