“Orwellian”: Draft legislation for online ‘misinformation’ released
Photo: AQP
Further crackdowns proposed.
The federal government has released a new draft bill that would give the communications watchdog more powers to be able to fine social media giants for hosting ‘misinformation’ on their platforms.
DRAFT BILL
Here we go, ladies and gentlemen.
If you thought recent revelations surrounding federal government collusion to censor thousands of online posts for ‘misinformation’ was bad, it seems we haven’t seen anything yet.
Now, online platforms hosting ‘misinformation’ could face millions of dollars in penalties under new proposed government legislation that bolsters the power of Australia’s media watchdog.
According to the draft bill, misinformation is defined as “unintentionally false, misleading or deceptive content”, or information “intentionally disseminated to cause serious harm”.
Social media platforms, news-aggregators and even podcasts would all be subject to the regulator’s new powers, with ACMA already in consultation with social media giants during the bill’s drafting.
Under the new laws, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would be armed with the ability to require digital platforms to keep certain records about matters regarding ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’, and formally turn them over when requested.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said this would “…essentially mean that the regulator is able to look under the hood of what the platforms are doing and what measures they are taking to ensure compliance”.
Thou shall not question the government gods, who have repeatedly lied about just about everything to us for decades. From 9/11, to alternative remedies for COVID, to vaccines ‘stopping the spread’ propaganda.
If passed, ACMA would have the powers to be able to request the industry to develop a “code of practice” covering measures to ‘combat misinformation’, and enforce its own industry standard.
Violating the code could result in penalties up to $2.75 million dollars or 2 per cent of turnover — whichever is greater.
Penalties for breaching the standards could see companies paying up to $6.8 million or 5 per cent of their turnover.
Rowland warned “social media platforms are on notice that they have an important role in this area”.
The Communications Legislation Amendment (Combating Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023 is now in the public consultation stage.
Public consultations commenced today and will close on August 6.
The enemies of free speech, including Australia’s World Economic Forum-linked ‘eSafety’ Commissioner, are looking to further tighten their grip on the perceptions of the public.
In what has been called “Orwellian” and “dangerous”, if you give the government an inch under the guise of ‘safety and security’ with this legislation, they will no doubt take a mile.
As such, this bill has the potential to quickly spiral out-of-control into a Ministry of Truth dystopia.
Which is exactly what they have been searching for, for many years.
MINISTRY OF TRUTH
On one hand, Australian society puts you through 12+ years of the education system to become a literate member of society, capable of critical thinking.
On the other hand, however, they tell you there is also no possible way you can ever use those skills to disseminate information, and must hold Big Brother’s hand as he tells you the almighty ‘truth’.
In no sane Western democracy would we ever imagine such tyrannical moves, and thus, the only conclusion one can form is that this ill will against freedom of speech is being done intentionally.
As the ruling class looks to seize further power and control, like any other fascist regime, any opposition to their centralised narratives is ruled ‘a threat to social cohesion’ and must be banned.
‘They are intentionally spreading misinformation to harm our society’, they cry, whilst in fact harming society with the very actions of calling for political opponents to be banned.
Unsurprisingly, the biggest perpetrators of actual misinformation, the government, have excluded themselves from scrutiny under these new powers…
This has been a push in the making for many years. Gillard, also under a Labor government, tried to do the same in 2013. Thankfully, in this instance, legislators saw the extreme dangers of such a move.
Will society have the same luck in an era of media-manufactured condemnation of free thinking?
Speaking to Sky News Australia, experienced media lawyer Justin Quill said the proposal was “the biggest imposition on free speech that I’ve ever seen in a piece of legislation”.
“I’ve long been an advocate for free speech. I’ve had concerns… about legislation like section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. But I can tell you in my 27 years in this job… this is, without doubt, the worst piece of legislation for free speech that I have seen,” Quill said.
In similar fashion, veteran journalist John Stapleton spoke out about this move on his website:
“Australia has long been a democracy in name over, with a passing parade of shrills posing as politicians parading before an ever increasingly disenchanted public.
Now, on what would have been George Orwell’s 120th anniversary, the Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has announced arguably their most dangerous legislation yet; an “up yours” to any notion of freedom of expression.
Either the authorities were too dumb to check, or live in a realm beyond arrogance, but the coincidence of the Newspeak style crackdown on what bureaucrats deem “misinformation” is a nod to the poet of totalitarianism and the most quoted author of the 2020s, George Orwell; a tribute to his prophetic novel 1984 from the Upside Down World once known as Australia.”
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said “the government has no intention of stifling freedom of speech in this area” but instead aims to “keep Australians safe”.
Big Brother is here to keep you safe, folks.
Long live B.B!
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Source: https://tottnews.com/2023/06/28/orwellian-misinformation-legislation/
I heard it on Sky News with Rowan so it must be going to get thru.