Wicks' inquiry finds social media must take responsibility
A Federal parliamentary inquiry chaired by Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks has found unanimously that social media companies should be required to enforce their own safety standards.
The Select Committee on Social Media and Online Safety found that the safety of people online was being threatened by individuals who engaged in harmful behaviour and conduct, Ms Wicks said.
The harms experienced by victims of online abuse left a long trail of trauma and suffering, as expressed by many witnesses in evidence to the committee, she said.
"For too long social media platforms have been able to set the rule', enabling the proliferation of online abuse.
"The balance of responsibility for the safety of users online, which until recently has been primarily on users, must be flipped to ensure that social media platforms bear more of the burden of providing safety for their users.
'To protect Australians, social media companies have to take responsibility to enforce their terms of service, prevent recidivism of bad actors, prevent pile-ons or volumetric attacks, prevent harms across multiple platforms and be more transparent about their use of algorithms.
Over the course of the three-and-a-half-month inquiry, the Committee held 11 public hearings with nearly 60 witnesses, and received over 100 submissions from individuals, organisations and government bodies.
SOURCE:
Media release, 15 Mar 2022
Lucy Wicks, Member for Robertson