eSafety Commissioner Releases Guidelines on Dealing with Harmful Online Content Following Recent Stabbing Incidents
The authority is encouraging Australians to report harmful content online to eSafety.
The eSafety Commissioner in Australia has released guidelines on addressing harmful content online following recent consecutive stabbing attacks.
During a church service in south-west Sydney on April 15, a bishop was stabbed, with at least two police officers injured, leading to the incident being declared a “terrorist act.”
After the Bondi attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the issue of misinformation online in various media interviews.
“Given recent events, you may encounter distressing online content,” the post mentioned.
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“If you encounter violent, distressing, or harmful content, refrain from sharing it further. Your actions could prevent others from seeing that content again and protect yourself,” advised the post.
The eSafety website specifies that under Australian law, the authority can issue a “takedown notice” to online platforms or services to remove harmful content or shield Australian users from it.
“This includes content that depicts, describes, promotes, incites, or instructs people in violent crimes such as terrorist acts, violent kidnappings, murder, attempted murder, rape, torture, suicide, and sexual exploitation of children,” the site outlines.
“If you encounter such content in a public online space, refrain from sharing it – even with good intentions or to raise awareness. Sharing such content can cause distress to others and may constitute a criminal offense.”
Prime Minister Concerned About Misinformation Online
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed worries about misinformation on social media on April 13.
He criticized social media as a “scourge” following the Bondi stabbing incident and raised concerns about “misinformation” in various media appearances.
He also voiced his concerns about social media companies allowing such content to circulate online post-incident.
“Social media, in many ways, is a curse. Some social media operators have shown a lack of responsibility, allowing clearly erroneous content to circulate.”
“Law enforcement has been clear that any videos or photos should be provided to them, not shared on platforms or Facebook.”
