Stop terror: Morrison’s edict to tech titans

Social media giants will be threatened with ‘significant’ penalties unless they quickly remove terror content.

The government will demand social media platforms take greater responsibility for violent and disturbing content published online in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attack being live-streamed on Facebook.

Social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter will be threatened with new laws that could result in Australian-based executives facing “significant” penalties unless they quickly remove terror content from their platforms.

Scott Morrison will today flag new legislation at a meeting with the tech company bosses in Brisbane, as the government demands social media platforms take greater responsibility for violent and disturbing content published online in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attack being live-streamed on Facebook.

“We are considering all options to keep Australians safe. We need to prevent social media platforms being weaponised with terror content,” the Prime Minister said.

“If social media companies fail to demonstrate a willingness to immediately institute changes to prevent the use of their platforms, like what was filmed and shared by the perpetrators of the terrible offences in Christchurch, we will take action.”

New laws being drafted by the government are modelled on existing offences that require social media companies to notify police of child abusers on their sites and compel content hosts to take down the offending material.

Under the changes, it would be a criminal offence to fail to remove the footage as soon as possible after it was reported or the content became known to the relevant tech company.

There would be a separate criminal offence if  “abhorrent violent material” was not rapidly removed by the social media provider after receiving notice to remove it, with escalating penalties the longer it remained online.

Government sources said if an offence was proved then social media executives in Australia could be found personally liable in certain circumstances and face “very significant penalties, as could the companies themselves”.

“The government will be expecting commitments for the prevention, detection, blocking and removal of violent terrorist material,” Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said.

“These will be embedded in the online safety charter. If full co-operation isn’t forthcoming, the government will move to the full range of legislative options.”

Senator Fifield, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Attorney-General Christian Porter will attend the meeting with Mr Morrison and executives from Google, Facebook and Twitter. It is unclear if social media executives could face fines or jail time if they are found to have committed an offence. It is also not known how long companies will have to remove offensive content.

Mr Morrison is leading a push for an agreement among G20 countries to ensure the internet is not an “ungoverned space” and that tech companies meet their moral obligation to protect the people they serve and profit from.

It took a full hour for Facebook to remove the Christchurch shooter’s live-streamed video, during which nearly 250,000 people viewed it and copies were made to both Facebook and YouTube.

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick yesterday announced he would try to establish a wide-ranging inquiry into far-right extremist groups in Australia.

The alleged perpetrator of the Christchurch massacre is an Australian man who has been labelled a right-wing terrorist.

“The horrific events in Christchurch have put an international spotlight on the rise of far-right extremist groups and their international links, from Europe and the US to Australia and New Zealand,” Senator Patrick said. “However there is much work to be done here in Australia if these terrible events are not to be repeated.”