Labor MP Bill Shorten speaks out about the internet, keyboard warriors

The internet has been a blessing but there’s a part of it that has become a ‘sewer’, Labor MP Bill Shorten says.

Leaders must put a stop to conspiracy theorists and “keyboard cowards” on the internet, Labor MP Bill Shorten says.

His calls follow social media giants including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram banning Donald Trump from its sites after his supporters launched a violent attack on the US Capitol.

Speaking on the Today show, Mr Shorten said the US President had done the world a favour by getting kicked off the site.

“Our own leaders need to stamp down on the conspiracy rubbish,” Mr Shorten said.

“The internet has proven to be a magnet to draw together idiots and conspiracists who otherwise would never meet each other.

“You are free to speak but you have to face the consequences of it.”

Donald Trump hit out at Twitter from the @POTUS account after the social media platform ‘permanently suspended’ his personal account. Picture: Supplied

Mr Shorten condemned Mr Trump as irresponsible after his comments incited vicious riots last week from fans wrongly claiming the US election was “stolen”.

However, Mr Shorten also included the Chinese government spokesman who made an obscene post about Australian Diggers in Afghanistan among the “keyboard cowards” on the internet.

Senior government ministers have lashed Twitter’s ban on Mr Trump as censorship.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he was “uncomfortable” with it but conceded monitoring dangerous speech online was a “fast-moving space”.

National Party Senator Matt Canavan told Sky News the move was a mistake.

“It’s important for us to think of the ramifications for our own country,” Senator Canavan said.

“Do we want a US Corporation, having that kind of power over our own politics?”

Originally published as Labor MP Bill Shorten speaks out about the internet, keyboard warriors