Australia has stepped up its call on the world’s biggest economies to force Facebook and other social media giants to reveal the anonymous “trolls” who harass people online, urging countries including the United States and United Kingdom to toughen regulation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison used a statement to the G20 summit in Rome on Saturday to propose a new round of coordinated action to protect people online, with one option being to use expanded powers to identify people who hide behind anonymous accounts.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives in Rome to attend the G20 Summit in Italy.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The Australian plan includes gaining support from Indonesian President Joko Widodo to keep the issue on the agenda at the next annual gathering of leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies, due to meet in Bali next year.
Mr Morrison has suggested an expanded G20 agenda to tackle online safety during Indonesia’s leadership of the forum next year, presenting this as a way to get greater benefits from the digital economy.
Speaking before the first sessions of the Rome summit, Mr Morrison said the digital platforms were having a “massive impact” on societies but should be subject to the same rules that operated in the real world.
“We need to ensure that the rules that we all apply differently in our own countries in the real world apply in the digital world and that we don’t allow those digital platforms to be used as tools, weapons for others to oppress and coerce and harass people,” he said.
“And we’re going to have to stop that.”
Australia and other countries have joined forces at previous G20 summits to impose tougher rules on digital companies, including an agreement in Osaka two years ago where France backed a push to halt the spread of violent terrorism online after the Christchurch attacks in March.
Morrison calls for G20 to act against online trolls
Source: Philippines Alive
