In a statement, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the bill would have 'ushered in an unprecedented level of transparency, holding big tech to account for their systems and processes to prevent and minimise the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation online.' Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman was a vocal opponent of the bill, arguing that it would prompt platforms to suppress free speech in order to avoid fines. With the bill now seemingly dead, Coleman posted that it was a 'shocking attack on free speech that betrayed our democracy' and called on the prime minister to 'rule out any future version of this legislation.' Rowland's statement, meanwhile, called for Parliament support on 'other proposals to strengthen democratic institutions and keep Australians safe online,' including legislation targeting deep fakes, enforcement of 'truth in political advertising for elections,' and AI regulation. Anthony Ha is TechCrunch's weekend editor. Previously,...
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