Labor is copying the Chinese Communist Party’s censorship playbook.
China learned long ago that you don’t need to censor every citizen, you just need to create a culture of fear and make the platforms do it for you.
These tactics have been used by authoritarian regimes across the world to gag their political opponents time and time again.
The powers will make sure social media companies feel the only option is to over-censor.
The Minister and e-Safety Commissioner get open-ended power to classify anything as harmful.
Today that’s harm to children’s safety. But tomorrow these powers will be abused to censor complaints about immigration because they harm Labor’s version of “social cohesion”.
There are some issues on social media. But this can’t be an excuse to bring in a China-style censorship regime.
Social cohesion under Labor means sit down, shut up and don’t complain.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers wakes up everyday dreading the next social media post he makes because he knows he’ll be smashed by thousands of comments calling out Labor Lies.
Minister Wells complains that Australians don’t believe her after Labor’s Lies.
Senior public servants being paid more than the Prime Minister are complaining about their embarrassing answers being shared on social media.
This is a government that hates transparency and hates being accountable to the Australian public.
Labor hates Australians having the ability to voice their disagreement on social media.
After losing a safe Labor seat in the Secret Harbour by-election, the government is desperately trying to censor the internet to keep their jobs and their grip on power.
Labor knows they can’t win the debate, so they’re changing the rules and making social media companies gag you.
One Nation says no to Labor’s censorship power-grab. Australians have the right to have their say.