PoliticsLegislation Affects Australia

Greens Demand Tougher Penalties In Digital Safety Laws

Published 6h ago · Latest report 1h ago

Covered in 2 countries

AI summary43s readNeutral

The Greens demand tougher tech penalties and citizen lawsuits as digital safety laws head to parliament.

The Australian Greens are pushing to strengthen upcoming digital safety legislation by demanding the right for individuals to sue major tech platforms for financial compensation. The minor party also wants regulatory fines calculated as a percentage of global revenue as Labor prepares to introduce the bill to parliament.

The demandIndividuals would gain the right to take technology companies directly to court for damages.
The penaltiesFines issued by the eSafety commissioner should reflect a share of worldwide earnings rather than fixed sums.
The strategyThe minor party holds leverage to negotiate amendments in exchange for passing the legislation through the Senate.

Why it matters

Governments globally are facing mounting pressure to hold social media platforms accountable for online harms, cyberbullying, and algorithmic spread of abuse. Australia's legislative battles highlight the tensions between lawmakers seeking to enforce online safety and tech companies defending their liability limits.

What outlets agree on

The Australian Greens are demanding stricter provisions within Labor's incoming digital duty of care legislation, including the ability for individuals to sue tech platforms.

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