Opposition argues that young offenders could potentially face a 2-year jail sentence for showcasing their crimes on social media.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is emphasizing the need to address young criminals who boast about their illegal activities on social media platforms. The proposed measures by the center-right Coalition seek to penalize such behavior with up to two years of imprisonment and a ban from using social media for a maximum of two years.
To combat the alarming rise in youth crime, the Australian opposition is proposing legislation that would criminalize the sharing of content that glorifies violence and criminal actions online.
Peter Dutton, along with Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and Opposition Communications spokesman David Coleman, issued a statement expressing the urgency to tackle the escalating youth crime problem across the country.
The proposed bill aims to deter and disallow young offenders from promoting crime through social media platforms. It includes measures to impose penalties for sharing violent, drug-related, or property offense content for the purpose of gaining notoriety.
The bill also grants the eSafety Commissioner authority to remove inappropriate posts from social media platforms independently, rather than relying solely on the cooperation of social media companies as is currently done.
Peter Dutton described the bill as a sensible approach and urged the Albanese government to support this crucial policy reform to combat the negative influence of social media on crime rates.
Recent developments in New South Wales, where a law was introduced to penalize individuals for bragging about criminal acts on social media, have set the tone for similar initiatives in other states. The federal Coalition’s proposed legislation aims to align with state-level rules and provide law enforcement with effective tools to manage and deter online glorification of criminal behavior.
The opposition highlights gaps in existing frameworks and emphasizes the need to empower police with federal legislation where state laws may fall short. Additionally, law enforcement officials have noted the role of social media in fueling criminal activities like car thefts among youth.
As efforts intensify to address the surge in youth crime, it is evident that swift action is required, and collaborative measures at both state and federal levels are essential to combat this pressing societal issue.
