Anika Wells targets gender violence in new online safety bill
The online safety bill now penalises platforms allowing gender-based violence content and adds protections for intimate images without consent.
Labor's flagship online safety bill has expanded to target three new categories of harmful content: creation of fake nude images without consent, sharing intimate images without permission, and content encouraging gender-based violence.
The bill removes ministerial discretion over what counts as harm, a power that faced backlash from the Coalition and Greens. Curiously, promoting illicit drugs was removed from the harm list, though no explanation was given.
The bill carves out journalists, artists and researchers from penalties. Communications Minister Anika Wells says the law creates upstream safety requirements for platforms, similar to appliance safety standards.
Platforms get a 12-month transition period to prepare. The Greens' Sarah Hanson-Young holds the deciding vote and wants stricter penalties tied to global revenue and the ability for individuals to sue platforms.
- Anika Wells
- Communications Minister
- Three categories
- New harm categories
- 12 months
- Transition period
- Sarah Hanson-Young
- Deciding voter
Why it mattersIt will force social media platforms to take responsibility for content encouraging violence, especially against women.
AustraliaAustralian users will be protected from more types of harmful online content under new laws if they pass parliament by year's end.
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