Australia to block internet domains hosting extremist content
Australia will block access to internet domains hosting
terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force
digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on
Sunday.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is in France to
take part in the G7 leaders’ forum, said the government intended to prevent
extremists from exploiting digital platforms to post extremely violent content.
“We are doing everything we
can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes,” he said in a
statement.
Australia and New Zealand
have increased scrutiny of websites and social media companies in the wake of
the Christchurch massacre in March, when 51 worshippers were killed in attacks
on two New Zealand mosques.
The attack was livestreamed
by alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant over Facebook.
The government said it would
establish a framework to block domains hosting such material. Australia’s
eSafety Commissioner would determine on a case-by-case basis what should be
censored, and was working with industry on arrangements to quickly block access
during an attack.
A 24/7 Crisis Coordination
Centre would be established to monitor the online world for extreme violence or
terrorist material.
In addition to extremist violence,
domains hosting any abhorrent violent material - defined as content showing
murder, attempted murder, rape, torture, or kidnapping - that is recorded by
anyone involved in the conduct also would be blocked, the government said.
The government did not
elaborate on what legislative options would be used if digital platforms failed
to improve safety.
Tech giants including
Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft and Twitter, along with Telstra, Vodafone,
TPG and Optus are expected to provide details to the government by the end of
next month on how they will carry out the recommendations.
The firms are all members of
the Taskforce to Combat Terrorist and Extreme Violent Material Online, which
had recommended a clear framework be established.
It was not immediately clear
how the move would affect media reporting of terror attacks or civil unrest.
Sky News New Zealand was
fined NZ$4,000 ($2,560) by New Zealand’s Broadcasting Standards Authority
earlier this month for showing a number of edited clips taken from the alleged
Christchurch attacker’s 17?minute livestream video during its news broadcast.
The regulator said in its
judgment that, while the broadcast was newsworthy, the clips contained
disturbing violent content which could cause distress, or glorify the alleged
attacker and promote his messages.