Judged In A Hurry, Meta And Twitter Ask The Australian Government To Review Its Social Media Rules

JAKARTA - Social media giants Meta and Twitter asked the Australian federal government to consider the effectiveness of digital platform regulations in the country.

The two requests also relate to the passage of the Online Safety Act, along with anti-trolling and online privacy laws that are currently under consideration.

The two technology giants based in the United States (US) made this claim in a submission to the Select Committee for Social Media and Online Security.

Twitter said in its filing that the committee should review Australia's online safety space rules one year from its initial report, which is due next month.

The Select Committee on Social Media and Online Safety was formed late last year to investigate the practices of major tech companies and consider evidence relating to the impact of social media platforms on Australian mental health.

The committee's investigation has been approved by the federal government with the aim of establishing a proposed social media law to unmask trolls.

Twitter said the recent passage of the Online Safety Act and the government's federal investigation had only been running for three months, and that there was not enough time to implement them effectively.

"With various factors to consider to advance online security in a holistic manner, we therefore request an extension of time for further investigation of the Select Committee on Social Media and Online Security, which will enable the introduction and effective implementation of the 2021 Online Security Act and to ensure meaningful consultation with the community," Twitter said in its filing.

While Meta, revealed that the federal government should and must review the legislation on new digital platform laws to ensure they are effective and fit for purpose, the company specifically points to the large number of new laws that have been passed.

"Policy makers have to live with the risk of overlapping, duplication, or inconsistent rules across various laws," said Meta, as quoted by ZDNet, Wednesday, January 19.

Meanwhile, Digital Industry Group Inc (DiGi), an Australian industry group that advocates for tech giants, including Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter, shared similar sentiments in its submission to a parliamentary committee.

In its filing, DiGi stated proposed regulatory measures, such as making age verification mandatory on social media platforms, had come into the limelight without legislative notice.

According to DiGi, given the unprecedented implications of verifying the age of Australians on various digital services, there should be more extensive consultation if it is to be implemented.

DiGi added that many new laws could result in overlapping, and recommended that the federal government consider streamlining online security laws into a single Online Security Act.