Misinformation Bill Will Turn Digital Platforms Into ‘Arbiters of Truth’: Media Association

A Senate Committee has been told that the Labor government’s proposed misinformation bill will turn social media platforms into “arbiters of truth” while unnecessarily burdening small businesses. Jennifer Duxbury, a director at the Digital Industry Group (DIG), a not-for-profit industry body whose members include various major digital platforms, was questioned about the sector’s view on the legislation. While Duxbury acknowledged that misinformation and disinformation were difficult areas to draft legislation, she said the new bill did not strike the right balance between protecting the community against serious harm and ensuring the right to freely debate matters of public concern....