back to article Australia floats plan for national social media regulator

Australia has floated a plan to regulate social media at a federal level. The idea's not new: the Liberal/National coalition took it to the nation's 2013 election as a policy that, in part, it used to show that someone was thinking of the children, especially in the context of cyber-bullying and youth suicides felt to have …

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  1. MrDamage Silver badge
    Flame

    Fucking Nanny State

    Its about time parents learn it is up to them to make sure their brats are using the computer in a public space in their home, and not up to the government to tax the rest of the population in order to make sure little Timmy's "electronic babysitter" isnt getting them into trouble.

    1. Denarius
      Thumb Down

      Re: Fucking Nanny State

      if only some parents gave a stuff. Most of the worst defend their little psychopaths in training. The helpless victim syndrome is also endemic driving the "Do something" pandemic. However, there is the irony referred to in the article that bullies in suits can do their thing without regulation, but little Joe and Jess are regulated.

  2. dan1980

    I don't use 'social media'* and so these regulations shouldn't affect me.

    That said, it is very much the principle and the precedent this would set. The laws that would be passed would require certain powers which risk encroaching into other areas and in service of other, less 'noble', goals.

    We have seen time and again that such laws end up using overly broad language and contain very few safeguards and, as such, are capable of being broadened. Even if the laws, as written, are sufficiently narrow and targeted to do only what they are there for (protecting children from online bullying that may plausibly lead to suicide), the existence of such a legal and procedural framework makes it all the more easy to extend it at a later date.

    Preventing youth suicide is a cause that is close to my heart (for various reasons) but still I do not support this plan.

    Teen suicide has been a problem for a long time - well before 'social media' - but there is no denying that modern technologies can exacerbate the problem. Just as the Internet can make it easier to browse a store's catalogue or share photos with friends, it can make it easier for someone to be bullied, harassed and tormented.

    I don't have the answers (I wish I did) but establishing such a worrisome precedent is not one of them.

    * - Yes, you could call this social media of a sort, but I don't feel it's quite the same.

    ** - Though not so rubbish that a trip to and stay in the hospital wasn't required. Fun times.

  3. dervheid

    Job Title

    Social Media Untaintedness Team

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Job Title

      Don't give up the day job.

  4. poopypants

    Let me solve that one for you

    "the Government would consider how penalties might be applied to entities that lack the requisite Australian presence" - and conclude that they cannot in fact be applied.

  5. Winkypop Silver badge
    Devil

    Don't underestimate the power of lobby groups

    Australia too has it right wing Christian lobby groups.

    The LNP government in Aus is the US Republican Party Lite [TM]

    If it's not the Christian lobbyists, it's Uncle Rupert messing with domestic politics.

    1. RealFred

      Re: Don't underestimate the power of lobby groups

      Don't forget that labour tried to introduce an Internet filter (remember Conroy?) and only the fact that ISP's refused to implement it, it would have gone ahead. Don't show your political bias by forgetting to mention this. Both political parties have their loony christian lobby groups.

      1. Winkypop Silver badge
        Meh

        Re: Don't underestimate the power of lobby groups

        You are correct.

        The very same lobbyists were in play with Conroy.

        But I think the current mob are much further to the right than the central/right Labor Party.

    2. Denarius
      Thumb Down

      Re: Don't underestimate the power of lobby groups

      And here I was concerned about the dominant left wing (meaning rabid materialist ) pressure groups wanting to put up cost of living with meaningless climate saving scams, create quangoes designed to find and take offense to prevent dissent and other intrusions into normal life because of some social utopian.

  6. Irongut

    "the Commissioner issuing public advice that a particular site is not safe for children to use"

    I'm sure TB, etc will love the free advertising in Australia.

  7. Sureo

    Will the social media regulator have their own facebook and twitter accounts?

  8. dan1980

    Tony Abbott summed up:

    Less big-media regulation, more personal (social) media regulation; less assistance for low-income earners, more assistance for perfect nuclear families.

    (And don't go on about how Labor aren't/weren't any better - that's not relevant.)

  9. Big-nosed Pengie
    Facepalm

    Here we go again

    See title.

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