Australia’s communications minister announced on Sunday that the country has abandoned plans to impose fines on social media companies for failing to stop the spread of false information.
If internet corporations violated new online safety requirements, the proposed law would have broad authority to fine them up to 5% of their annual revenue.
After encountering strong resistance in the nation’s senate, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced that she had abandoned the proposal.
“Based on public statements and engagements with senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the senate,” she said in a statement.
Tech tycoon Elon Musk was particularly offended by the planned bill, comparing the Australian government to “fascists” in September.
In international efforts to control the tech giants, Australia has taken the lead.
Children under the age of sixteen may soon be prohibited from using social media nationally by the government.Separate measures presented to Australia’s parliament on Thursday could sanction social media corporations over US$30 million for failing to keep youngsters off their sites.
