https://www.itnews.com.au/news/gov-could-regulate-responses-to-misinformation-an...








The government has released a draft bill suggesting that digital platforms' voluntary misinformation and disinformation codes should remain, but also that the communications watchdog should be able to deem them ineffective, register its own and fine platforms for breaches.

The exposure bill [pdf] suggests giving the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) the power to compel companies to provide information about their management of misinformation and disinformation.

The bill also suggested providing ACMA with the option to impose multimillion-dollar fines in response to systemic failures to prevent misinformation and disinformation, but only if ACMA replaces current voluntary codes with its own codes and standards first.

ACMA first called for more powers to regulate misinformation and disinformation in its June 2021 assessment report [pdf] on the opt-in voluntary codes managed by the platforms’ association the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI).

The bill would mean DIGI’s codes could remain if ACMA does not overturn them; Rowland has also sided with the platforms’ lobby in rejecting ACMA’s calls to apply the regulations to traditional news providers and to expand ACMA’s information-gathering powers to the contents of private messages.

Rowland has said that exempting private messages and traditional news providers from the regulations is a safeguard to prevent them from impinging on users' right to free speech and privacy.

One of ACMA’s demands granted by the bill is overturning DIGI’s opt-in model for the codes; this means that the ACMA’s powers would extend beyond the eight signatories of the voluntary codes -
Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Redbubble, TikTok and Twitter.

“The powers apply to digital platform services that are accessible in Australia…[including] social media, search engines, instant messaging services (although the content of private messages will be out of scope), news aggregators and podcasting services,” a summary [pdf] of the draft bill reads.

What the Govt. says -

https://www.acma.gov.au/online-misinformation





Misinformation is false, misleading or deceptive information that can cause harm.

On this page

    Misinformation explained
    The spread of misinformation online
    Tips to spot misinformation or disinformation
    Australian Code of Practice for Disinformation and Misinformation
    Our role
    Reporting or making a complaint about online misinformation

Misinformation explained

Misinformation can include:

    made-up news articles
    doctored images and videos
    false information shared on social media
    scam advertisements.

Misinformation can pose a risk to the health and safety of individuals, as well as society more generally. We have seen this with misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and 5G technology.

Some misinformation is deliberately spread – this is called disinformation – to cause confusion and undermine trust in governments or institutions. It is also used to attract users to webpages for financial gain, where they may click on ads or be lured into financial scams.

But not all misinformation is deliberately spread to cause harm. Sometimes users share misinformation without realising it.


On 25 June 2023, the Australian Government commenced public consultation on exposure draft legislation to provide the ACMA with new powers to hold digital platforms to account and improve efforts to combat harmful misinformation and disinformation in Australia. Public consultation will close on Sunday, 6 August 2023,

Belgarion wrote on Jul 9^th, 2023 at 4:21pm:


It means that you couldn't write -

I'm afraid of the Covid vaccines -
normal vaccines are tested for 10 years but these ones only had
a few months of testing so I don't want to accept one.
It could have unforeseen consequences.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 10^th, 2023 at 2:40pm:


As this forum is not on a platform like Facebook or Twitter it will fly under the radar for a while, however if these laws are enforced on whoever hosts private forums then yes, they certainly will.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 9^th, 2023 at 4:38pm:


So truth is not a defence?  And as usual any outcomes for the individual will be decided on the thickness of his/her wallet?

Kovid was a good experiment to see how easily the unthinking masses could be controlled

The vast majority of the population fail this test
And said that they preferred safety and comfort
To challenge and personal responsibility

The thinking is very much that of a five-year-old
Who also prefers comfort and safety
A five-year-old likes an ice cream
And a 5 year old likes a father figure to comfort him when there is a boogie man in his room

Because most people have the emotional maturity of a five-year-old
And because governments have steadily increased the welfare system so it now applies from cradle-to-grave

It was always going to be inevitable
That the government would assume total responsibility and control for the life of the chode

I don't actually think it is a sinister nineteen eighty-four scenario

I think people want to be controlled
And don't want to think for themselves
Because they are too lazy and scared to do so

This scenario is much more in Accord with aldus huxley's Brave New World
Then Orwell's 1984

People love their jailers
People could walk out of the prison cell and assume personal responsibility anytime they wish
There is nothing stopping them but their own pathetic mediocre mindset