Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a world-first, the Liberal-National government will introduce new powers to force global social media giants to unmask anonymous online trolls and make participating online safer for all. Everyone should be safe online, including our children. Anonymous cybertrolls have been able to wreak havoc for too long. Online defamatory behaviour has largely gone unchecked, and trolls have been a law unto themselves. Their time is up.

This government will ensure that online anonymous abusers will be unmasked and victims of this abuse will be assisted to begin defamation proceedings in state and territory courts. Big tech is now on notice that they will be held to account as publishers of defamation if they cannot or will not identify the troll or fail to make a clear pathway for complaints. Through my own traumatic experience with online defamation, I have been determined to see change in safety measures, complaints mechanisms and for platforms to be held to account for the sake of all Australians.

Earlier this year, I tabled a private member's bill to address this issue, seeking to make social media platforms liable for content published on their sites. What concerns me is that the many thousands of people who endure bullying and defamation online will lack the means to clear their name or protect their family. To this government's credit, this bill will complement the existing defamation reform work being developed in partnership with states and territories.