Social media giants to be called before a parliamentary inquiry over misinformation
Social media platforms will come under scrutiny as part of a parliamentary inquiry into their influence and impact on Australian society.
The federal government will set up a commission to investigate the content people are exposed to online.
The joint standing committee will examine algorithms on social media platforms and determine how they determine what users see, as well as their impact on mental health.
Harmful online content, such as extremist material and scams, will be the focus of the investigation.
The decision by Facebook’s parent company Meta to abandon deals with media companies to support public interest journalism will also be central.
The creation of the commission comes as the federal government has been at loggerheads with social media giants over the removal of violent online content following the stabbing death of a church leader in Sydney in April.
Platforms such as X, formerly known as Twitter, had refused to comply with takedown requests from the internet security watchdog after the stabbing.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said social media companies have a responsibility to users to be accountable and transparent about their decisions.
“These social media companies have enormous reach and control over what Australians see, with little to no oversight,” she said.
“In our democracy, it is imperative that Australians have access to quality public interest journalism, including on social media.”
Social media platforms will come under scrutiny as part of a parliamentary inquiry into their influence and impact on Australian society. Pictured: Elon Musk, Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon
Meta indicated in March it would not renew multimillion-dollar deals with Australian media as part of its news media bargaining code.
The code was created in 2021 to address the power imbalances between news media and social media platforms that distributed publishers’ content.
Ms Rowland said the investigation would be crucial given the amount of misinformation on social media.
“Parliament must understand how social media companies spin content that supports healthy democracies, as well as anti-social content that undermines public safety,” she said.
“Creating this investigation will provide lawmakers with the opportunity and resources to closely monitor these companies and make recommendations on how we can make these platforms accountable for their decisions.”
The government is expected to consult MPs and senators on the commission’s terms of reference, with a referral preparing the inquiry in the coming week.