Australia to pass law forcing internet forums to reveal identity of users

Discussion in 'Civil Liberties' started by kazenatsu, Nov 28, 2021.

  1. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    So much for freedom of speech and individual privacy on the internet.

    Australia will be introducing legislation that would require companies to reveal identifying information on users who post "defamatory" comments.

    This would be a giant step towards individual users who post comments on publicly visible sites no longer having privacy or the right to keep their identity anonymous.

    Obviously the government would not want this information if those individual users were not going to be punished for the comments they made.

    Of course "defamatory" can be a vague and very open-ended word. All sorts of different things could be considered defamatory, against politicians, government officials, or maybe even government departments themselves.

    Australia to Introduce Legislation Requiring Social Media Companies to Reveal Trolls (businessinsider.com) Morgan Keith, November, 27, 2021

    The announcement follows a September ruling by Australia's highest court that found publishers can be held liable for public comments in online forums.

    Under the law, digital media companies like Twitter and Facebook will be deemed a "publisher," making them responsible for moderating defamatory material on their platforms. Morrison said the companies would also be required to take down the "digital shield" of protections that they currently extend to anonymous trolls online, as well as provide their user information.
    Of course there is always an excuse to pass a law curbing free speech:

    "Free speech is not being allowed to cowardly hide in your basement and sledge and slur and harass people anonymously, and seek to destroy their lives," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. "That's not freedom, that's cowardice, and there's no place for that in this country. In this country, we value freedom of speech, and freedom of speech means you take responsibility for what you say."
    Apparently, according to the PM, "free speech" also means the government gets to know exactly who is saying everything on the internet.

    We've already seen numerous instances of government abuse in the past where citizens of the UK and Australia were arrested based on comments that they wrote, charged under some questionable interpretation of a vague law, for comments that amounted to "thought crimes".
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2021
    FatBack, Jarlaxle and joesnagg like this.
  2. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Jarlaxle and Jolly Penguin like this.
  3. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Where in any legislation on “Freedom of speech” does it say you have a right to remain anonymous?

    ScoMo is not always right (he is a conservative BTW) but he is right on this score. Considering that “freedom of speech” amendment dates back to to political pundits standing on soapboxes in public.

    BTW we do not have a “first amendment” in any event - we DO have a constitution but it’s main purpose is as a soporific if the benzo’s aren’t working
     
  4. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Yes and we have already addressed that on your other thread

    She breached the Code of Practice SHE SIGNED ONTO WHEN SHE REGISTERED!!!
     
  5. Joe knows

    Joe knows Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2021
    Messages:
    13,465
    Likes Received:
    9,921
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Australia has no freedoms. This pandemic proved that.
     
  6. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Yeah suuuure :roll:

    Better stay away then eh?
     
    bigfella likes this.
  7. Joe knows

    Joe knows Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2021
    Messages:
    13,465
    Likes Received:
    9,921
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Lmao… need I say more.

    privacy is a thing of the past to them as well
     
    joesnagg and GrayMan like this.
  8. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Australia will probably be headed the way of Communist China another 50 or 60 years from now.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2021
    James California likes this.
  9. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,175
    Likes Received:
    62,815
    Trophy Points:
    113
    like the DMCA, it will be abused - sites will just delete posts with a fake DMCA complaint, seen it happen

    why, cause they can't afford the lawyers, same will happen here
     
    Jarlaxle likes this.
  10. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,175
    Likes Received:
    62,815
    Trophy Points:
    113
    a big issue is foreign government spreading propaganda to divide countries pretending to be their own citizens, and many fall for it
     
    Bowerbird likes this.
  11. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    That's not really a big actual issue. It's a potentially big issue.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2021
  12. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,175
    Likes Received:
    62,815
    Trophy Points:
    113
    actually it is, other countries learned during the 2016 election the effect they could have....
     
    Bowerbird likes this.
  13. dharbert

    dharbert Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2020
    Messages:
    2,262
    Likes Received:
    3,312
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Pointless legislation. Just use a fake name, fake email, and a VPN and they won't know who's posting what...
     
  14. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Didn’t answer my question

    Where in any legislation on “Freedom of speech” does it guarantee privacy or even mention privacy?

    https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/rights-and-freedoms/freedom-information-opinion-and-expression
     
  15. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    They'll probably try passing more laws in the near future to address that.
     
  16. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    34,608
    Likes Received:
    11,196
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I think you need an education on civil liberties if you do not understand why privacy is important.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2021
    joesnagg likes this.
  17. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female


    Just listening to Beau and he made exactly that point only apparently the Russians are at it again - this time it was the Rittenhouse verdict
     
    FreshAir likes this.
  18. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    If you think that stops your FBI think again
     
    Joe knows likes this.
  19. dharbert

    dharbert Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2020
    Messages:
    2,262
    Likes Received:
    3,312
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    lol, our FBI couldn't find their own ass with both hands...
     
    Jarlaxle likes this.
  20. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    I am not saying that I am asking you to show me legislation showing that “Freedom of speech” also encompasses privacy
     
  21. Bowerbird

    Bowerbird Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2009
    Messages:
    91,873
    Likes Received:
    73,626
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Female
    Keep thinking that…….
     
  22. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,696
    Likes Received:
    21,095
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Yup.
     
    joesnagg likes this.
  23. modernpaladin

    modernpaladin Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2017
    Messages:
    27,696
    Likes Received:
    21,095
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    No. I say 5, max.
     
    joesnagg and dharbert like this.
  24. James California

    James California Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2019
    Messages:
    11,335
    Likes Received:
    11,469
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    ~ They are already there. Sadly USA is heading in the same direction, as is the EU & UK . :blankstare:
     
    joesnagg and dharbert like this.
  25. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2012
    Messages:
    150,175
    Likes Received:
    62,815
    Trophy Points:
    113
    next they will require a credit card
     
    Bowerbird likes this.

Share This Page