COP26: Social media on Scott Morrison’s to-do list

Scott Morrison will discuss equitable and safe access to vaccines, the economic recovery and the need to hold social media platforms to account during talks with world leaders in Rome and ­Glasgow.

Scott Morrison arrives at Canberra airport on Thursday evening on his way to the G20 in Rome and COP26 in Glasgow. Picture: Adam Taylor

Scott Morrison will discuss equitable and safe access to vaccines, the economic recovery and the need to hold social media platforms to account during talks with world leaders in Rome and ­Glasgow.

Mr Morrison on Thursday left Australia to attend the G20 leaders’ summit in Rome from October 30-31 and the Glasgow UN climate summit from November 1-2, leaving Barnaby Joyce as ­Acting Prime Minister.

Energy and Emissions ­Reduction Minister Angus Taylor is accompanying Mr Morrison, who said the world was facing a “critical point in our health ­response and economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic”.

The Prime Minister said this would be a “key focus” of his discussions, along with the advancement of the G20 agenda on debt sustainability, quality infrastructure, investment, gender equity and women’s workforce participation. However, Mr Morrison made clear he was particularly interested in restoring confidence in the digital environment and efforts that would make it safer.

“Another key issue that I’ll be raising, though, will be that we need to fully harness the benefits of digitalisation,” he said, adding that he would make sure “the rules that apply in the real world apply in the digital world”.

“I will continue to press, as Australia always has, and show the leadership on this issue globally that we must hold social media platforms to account,” he said.

“They’re publishers, not just platforms, and particularly when they allow people to anonymously go on their platforms and publish their vile rubbish, whether that is to bully a young girl or target people online or to push defamatory statements … that’s not freedom of speech, that’s just cowardice. And we cannot have that thrown up on our social media platforms to Australians in this country.”

He also noted that Australia had become the first nation to have its relationship with ASEAN upgraded to the status of comprehensive strategic partnership.

“Such is the closeness of our ­relationship with our friends and partners here in Southeast Asia that ASEAN has selected Australia to be their first comprehensive strategic partner,” he said. “Our longstanding relationship with our ASEAN partners … has been recognised.”