2019-2020-2021-2022

 

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time

 

 

 

 

Social Media (Anti-Trolling) Bill 2022

 

No.      , 2022

 

(Attorney-General)

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act relating to defamatory material posted on social media services, and for related purposes

   

   

   

Contents

Part 1—Introduction                                                                                                            1

1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 2

3............ Simplified outline of this Act............................................................. 3

4............ Constitutional basis of this Act.......................................................... 4

5............ Additional operation of this Act......................................................... 4

6............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 4

7............ When material is posted on a page of a social media service............ 7

8............ When material is removed from a page of a social media service..... 7

9............ When material is posted in Australia................................................. 7

10.......... Tort of defamation etc........................................................................ 7

11.......... Crown to be bound............................................................................. 8

12.......... Geographical application of this Act.................................................. 8

Part 2—Liability                                                                                                                      9

13.......... Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 9

14.......... Liability of page owner for defamation—third-party material.......... 9

15.......... Liability for defamation—publisher................................................... 9

16.......... Liability for defamation—defence for the provider of a social media service etc. 11

17.......... Complaints scheme—prescribed requirements............................... 12

Part 3—End-user information disclosure orders                                             16

18.......... Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 16

19.......... End-user information disclosure orders........................................... 16

20.......... Practice and procedure..................................................................... 18

Part 4—Nominated entities                                                                                            20

21.......... Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 20

22.......... Nominated entity of the provider of a social media service............. 20

23.......... Continuing contraventions............................................................... 21

Part 5—Miscellaneous                                                                                                       22

24.......... Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 22

25.......... Attorney-General may intervene in a proceeding............................ 22

26.......... Civil penalty provision..................................................................... 23

27.......... Concurrent operation of State and Territory laws............................ 24

28.......... Implied freedom of political communication................................... 24

29.......... Provider of a social media service.................................................... 24

30.......... Application of section 14—material posted on a page of a social media service    25

31.......... Application of other provisions—material posted on a page of a social media service          25

32.......... Legislative rules............................................................................... 25

 

A Bill for an Act relating to defamatory material posted on social media services, and for related purposes

The Parliament of Australia enacts: