Australia mulls measures making social media giants responsible for defamatory postings

CNN's main Facebook page shows an error message when accessed from Australia, as seen in this screen capture taken September 29, 2021. Social Media Website/via REUTERS

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The Australian government is considering a range of measures that would make social media companies more responsible for defamatory material published on their platforms, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said on Sunday.

"We expect a stronger position from the platforms," Fletcher said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "For a long time, they've been getting away with not taking any responsibility in relation to content published on their sites."