Sydney: Australia’s online safety regulator has issued legal notices to major social media firms such as Google, Meta, X, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Reddit. The regulator demanded that these companies report on the measures they are taking to protect Australian users from violent extremists and terrorists who may use their online platforms.
In the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, 51 people were killed, and in a murder spree at Buffalo in New York in 2022, 10 black Americans were murdered. Accessing violent and extremist content on social media was accused of radicalising the gunmen. Both gunmen also live-streamed parts of their attack online.
According to Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, both nationally and internationally, the risk of terrorism and online radicalisation remains high. Inman Grant said that, “We remain concerned about how extremists weaponise technology like live-streaming, algorithms and recommender systems and other features to promote or share this hugely harmful material.”
The commission stated that the notice was granted under transparency powers under Australia’s online security law, demanding the six firms answer detailed queries about how they are handling the problems.
“It’s no coincidence we have chosen these companies to send notices to as there is evidence that their services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists. We want to know why this is and what they are doing to tackle the issue. And, disappointingly, none of these companies have chosen to provide this information through the existing voluntary framework – developed in conjunction with industry – provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),” Inman Grant added.
Companies were given 49 days to respond to a directive, failing which they could face fines of up to 780 thousand Australian dollars (£401,936) per day for non-compliance.
The OECD recently released a report that ranked Telegram as the top mainstream platform in terms of the presence of terrorist and violent extremist content. Google’s YouTube was ranked second, while X was ranked third. Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, rounded out the top five.
Also, the Commission will ask Telegram and Reddit about their measures for detecting and removing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Further information on the Commission’s findings will be released later this year.
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