Australian government abandons proposed misinformation laws

The Australian government has formally abandoned proposed laws that would have forced social media companies to regulate misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.

Michelle Rowland, the minister for communications, on Sunday announced that the government would not proceed with the misinformation legislation due to opposition in the Senate.

If passed into law, the legislation would have given the Australian Communications and Media Authority the power to fine social media companies that failed to monitor and regulate misinformation and disinformation across their networks.

However, the opposition coalition, the Greens and several independent senators rejected the legislation, leaving the governing Labor Party without a pathway to secure the required majority of votes in favor.

Rowland's announcement came ahead of the final parliamentary sitting week of 2024. The government has fast-tracked legislation for its world-first plan to ban under-16s from using social media, with parliament expected to pass the bill on Wednesday or Thursday.