AMA submission calls for social media reform to protect Australians
The AMA is urging the federal government to pursue reforms that hold social media giants accountable for exposing users to harmful content.
In a new submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the influence and impacts of social media on Australian society, the AMA has called on Australia to implement European-style laws that provide greater transparency about how individuals’ data is collected, shared and used.
In a media statement AMA President Professor Steve Robson said Australians were being exposed to social media algorithms that serve up harmful content and promote unhealthy products based on online habits.
Professor Robson acknowledged the many benefits of using social media and being in the online space, but said there were overwhelming risks to the safety and mental wellbeing of many Australians, particularly young people.
The AMA’s submission calls for rules similar to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is widely considered the global benchmark for digital governance.
The GDPR clearly stipulates that individuals are the owners of their data and they must provide specific, informed and unambiguous consent for their data to be used.
“Australia could benefit greatly from similar regulations, and the AMA calls on the federal government to implement this swiftly, while also acting on specific recommendations from the Privacy Act and Online Safety Act reviews,” Professor Robson said.
The AMA’s submission also resists calls to increase age verification requirements for social media.
“Merely increasing the age verification requirements to sign up to social media platforms would shift the emphasis onto innocent individuals, rather than the power-hungry social media companies that are responsible for exposing children to harmful content,” Professor Robson said.
