Critics say plan to stop untruths spreading online an assault on free speech

A government plan to pass laws to combat untruths spreading online has been called ‘the biggest assault on free speech in peacetime Australia’. Read why here.

A government plan to pass laws to combat untruths spreading online has been called “the biggest assault on free speech in peacetime Australia” after Facebook censored a post about the longer form version of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, calling it misinformation.

Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin on Thursday revealed Facebook “blanked out” a post of a video of her arguing the case that a longer version of the Uluru Statement exists.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has consistently denied a longer version of the statement, which was revealed in a Freedom of Information request, exists and has compared those who talk about it as “conspiracy theorists.”

A version of the longer document also appears in the final report of the Referendum Council, and in the past pro-Voice advocates such as Megan Davis have referred to the Uluru Statement being more than just one page.

Despite the ongoing controversy, the post was censored on the basis of a fact check by RMIT that accepted the prime minister’s statement that the document was just one page.

Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin.

Institute of Public Affairs deputy director Daniel Wild

Daniel Wild, deputy director of the Institute of Public Affairs, said that laws proposed by the Albanese government to combat misinformation would increase censorship and allow the government to be the sole source of truth about controversial issues.

“These laws would be the biggest assault on free speech in peacetime Australia, and could be used to potentially outlaw disagreement with and dissent from government policy,” Mr Wild said.

“Already we see big tech teaming up with highly biased fact-checking organisations to create a back door for censorship on critical issues like the Voice … the sinister thing these laws do is give the government the power to decide what is and what isn’t misinformation.”

Media lawyer and partner at major law firm Thomson Geer Justin Quill said “the whole concept behind the misinformation law is flawed in the extreme.”

“If you are trying to stop people who believe in a silly conspiracy and the government tries to silently censor it, that will only reinforce the conspiracy in the minds of those who might spread it or believe it.”

“Let the truth prevail, let it be put out there and debated,” he said.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Picture: Tim Hunter

Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman also blasted the proposed laws, saying: “Censorship of free speech in a democracy is a very concerning thing.

“We are already seeing censorship of political views, even without Labor’s appalling proposed misinformation laws.

“Those laws would restrict free speech further as they will give tech platforms a financial incentive to take down material in order to avoid huge fines.

“Everyday Australians will find their content removed and their free speech censored.”

A spokesman for Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said: “The draft legislation out for consultation would empower the ACMA to gather information about how the platforms moderate content they judge to be misinformation and disinformation.”

“Professional news content would be exempt.

“The government does not seek to influence reporting by the free press, given its important role in our democracy, and many of professional news businesses are already subject to media industry codes and standards”.