Victoria proposes forcing social media platforms to unmask anonymous accounts accused of vilification

TL;DR

Victoria proposes “demasking” powers to force platforms to identify anonymous accounts in vilification cases. It would also make it easier for families to sue platforms for harm to children.

Victoria’s premier Jacinta Allan announced on Sunday that the state would propose laws granting the Victorian civil and administrative tribunal power to order social media and AI platforms to reveal the identities of anonymous account holders accused of online vilification. The “demasking” powers would be the first of their kind for an Australian state. Allan said families needed new ways to protect their children online.

The proposed reforms go beyond identity disclosure. Victoria would also scrap the legal threshold that currently requires families to prove a child has suffered a permanent impairment of at least 10% before suing platforms for negligence causing psychiatric harm. That threshold, assessed by medical practitioners using standardised calculations, has made it effectively impossible...

Copyright of this story solely belongs to thenextweb.com. To see the full text click HERE