Political unity against social media giant X for fighting to keep potentially harmful content online has reinvigorated a push to crack down on graphic material.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Leading politicians have taken aim at comments from X chief executive Elon Musk, with one labelling him an "egotistical billionaire".
The federal government and opposition have backed efforts for graphic content - including of a stabbing massacre at a Sydney shopping centre - to be taken down from X, formerly Twitter.
It has led to a renewed focus on a government bill that would have tackled misinformation online that was temporarily shelved after the opposition argued it went too far and impacted free speech.
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman said the coalition was willing to work with the government to curtail violent content online.
He also wants the government to adopt an age verification trial "so fewer kids see this awful material".
X has raised concerns about censorship, the jurisdiction of Australian laws and edicts dictating what overseas users can see.
Powers allowing the eSafety commissioner to issue a global takedown order to companies that had servers hosted overseas were put in place to deal with a scenario such as this, Mr Coleman said.
X said it would challenge an order from the eSafety commissioner.
It said the commissioner did not have the authority to enforce what users could see globally, branding the move an "unlawful and dangerous approach".
Global takedown orders also violated the principle of an open internet and threatened free speech, it said.
The response has irked all sides of politics in Australia.
"It beggars belief, doesn't it, that this egotistical billionaire thinks it's more important for him to show whatever he wants on X or Twitter ... than to respect the victims of the crimes," Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek told Seven's Sunrise program.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for Mr Musk to front an Australian parliamentary inquiry and answer questions about algorithms that help content go viral and garner attention.
"These laws need to get to the heart of the problem and that is the profits they make off the algorithms they use and the data that they use," she said.
"It's no wonder that Elon Musk, the narcissistic cowboy, thinks he can just give the middle finger to the Australian government because for too long, we've had little to no regulation."
Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham said the use of social media advanced algorithms and technology to quickly target users meant platforms should be able to "quickly and effectively remove content that is damaging and devastating to the social harmony and fabric of society".
"Particularly images such as terrorist attacks," Senator Birmingham told ABC TV.
"We should expect that, we should demand it and we will certainly back the government to put in place the types of powers or penalties that make social media companies pay attention."
He also rejected claims about censorship.
It was an "insulting and offensive argument" to say the removal of imagery of a terrorist attack was censorship and it should be left unfiltered for children and others to see, Senator Birmingham said.
There was also the potential images could be used to inspire future terrorists, create disharmony and be manipulated for propaganda, he added.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Australian Associated Press
