Australia’s new Digital Duty of Care bill threatens platforms with fines of up to A$109 million if they fail to keep users “safe,” and it never defines where safe ends. Section 26A(3) even bars them from weighing the cost of compliance.
The minister says she gave up the power to define new harms. Section 25E(1)(f) still covers anything that “may cause serious harm to children,” and that list has no end.
Platforms must also switch off feeds, likes and stories for under-16s. They can only do that by checking the age of every user.
The eSafety Commissioner gets to run fake accounts under rules it writes with the federal police. It can also summon people for private questioning, and anyone who stays silent faces 12 months in prison.
The government says this is not censorship. The bill is built to produce it anyway.
https://reclaimthenet.org/australia-digital-duty-care-bill-introduced
The minister says she gave up the power to define new harms. Section 25E(1)(f) still covers anything that “may cause serious harm to children,” and that list has no end.
Platforms must also switch off feeds, likes and stories for under-16s. They can only do that by checking the age of every user.
The eSafety Commissioner gets to run fake accounts under rules it writes with the federal police. It can also summon people for private questioning, and anyone who stays silent faces 12 months in prison.
The government says this is not censorship. The bill is built to produce it anyway.
https://reclaimthenet.org/australia-digital-duty-care-bill-introduced
1👍1
