Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest Meta court battle is for the ordinary Australian

In a week where we learnt terror groups are radicalising autistic kids in Australia, why is it up to a billionaire to take up the fight with social media, Julie Cross argues.

Opinion: Social media never ceases to shock and amaze.

This week in the course of my job I have written about how children are being lured into violent terror groups, a growing number are autistic.

Many neurodivergent kids feel the internet is a safe space for them.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Police are so worried they’ve engaged the help of autism experts in the fight against youth radicalisation.

One counter terrorism expert I spoke to said she came into contact with a neurodivergent child who had been brainwashed by extremists because of his love of planes.

He became obsessed with videos of the 9/11 planes crashing into the Twin Towers, and no doubt that fixation meant the algorithm would have helped feed him more videos and connect him with violent extremists.

That’s how easy it is to be radicalised.

A new screenshot from a deep fake scam video of Andrew Forrest.

Then I have spent hours this week following the Instagram accounts of some revolting predators, who leave sick comments and sexually suggestive emojis under the stolen photos of innocent children.

Most of the accounts of these pedophiles are untraceable. Social media really is the perfect playground for these sickos.

Meanwhile, there was a glimmer of hope among all the filth and fear, thanks to billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest who has the guts, and most importantly the means, to take on Meta, the parent company for Facebook and Instagram.

He’s sick of images in his likeness being used to scam Aussies out of their life savings.

These fraudulent ads have been the bane of his life for a decade now.

Michael Miller, Executive Chairman at News Corp Australia at the Social Media Conduct Hearings at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Twiggy can’t sue Meta in Australia because they claim they don’t do business here and therefore are not subject to our laws.

That’s despite having almost 22 million Australian Facebook users and making $1.34 billion from advertisers locally.

This week Twiggy had a “strategic win” over the social media giant, with a US judge ruling against Meta’s attempt to halt the case.

So, it’s game on.

But this fight shouldn’t be down to a billionaire, the Government needs to do more to protect us.

As News Corp’s Executive Chairman Michael Miller pointed out at an inquiry into social media influence on Friday, “If they don’t want to play by Australian rules and values, why do we want them here?”

Originally published as Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest Meta court battle is for the ordinary Australian