Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has expressed concerns about the government’s Misinformation Bill, stating that defining “misinformation” is a challenging task. During an interview with Radio 2GB, Abbott highlighted the difficulty in determining whether certain statements are misinformation or honest mistakes. He cited examples such as the prime minister’s claim to reduce power bills by $275 per household per year during the election, questioning whether it was misinformation or a deliberate untruth. Abbott also drew attention to conflicting scientific advice on mask usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising questions about what constitutes misinformation. These remarks reflect broader concerns within the Liberal-National Coalition regarding the potential stifling of legitimate debate and dissent through vague definitions of misinformation and disinformation.
The Coalition has officially announced its opposition to the proposed measures, arguing that they could lead social media platforms to block content in order to avoid violating these laws. The revised legislation builds upon an earlier draft proposal that was delayed in November last year. Under this bill, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would have authority to impose significant fines on social media platforms.
According to the bill’s definition, misinformation refers to content that is reasonably verifiable as false, misleading, or deceptive and likely to cause serious harm. The government claims that this revised bill strikes a careful balance between combating harmful misinformation and disinformation while preserving freedom of expression.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously defended the bill by highlighting its origin from within his own party—the Coalition—and expressing surprise at their current opposition towards it.
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