The Allan government will draft laws aimed at unmasking online trolls and clearing the path for parents to sue tech giants over psychiatric harm done to their children.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the laws were being introduced to protect families from the more detrimental effects of online platforms.
“[Parents] do feel powerless, and powerless on a couple of fronts,” Ms Allan said.
“How quickly kids become obsessed with these online platforms … I see it in my own household.”
Under the changes, which Ms Allan said the government would aim to introduce to parliament before November’s state election, parents would face fewer barriers to taking big tech companies to court.
The laws will also lower the threshold that parents need to pass in order to litigate against tech firms. (ABC News: Dane Hirst)
Currently, a parent suing a social media or AI company must prove their child has experienced a permanent impairment of at least 10 per cent to bring the case before the courts.
The government plans to lower the threshold for claims brought on behalf of minors, and said it would explore removing the threshold for adult victims as well.
Government to force companies to reveal online identity
Ms Allan said the Australia-first legislation would also include laws targeting anonymous trolls online, clamping down on any users found to be breaching Victoria’s anti-vilification laws.
“Too often, words can be used as a weapon to spew out far too much online hate,” Ms Allan said.
“Far too much of that is being hidden by anonymous online anonymity.”
Under the proposed changes the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) would gain “demasking orders”, allowing it to force social media companies to reveal the identity of anonymous users.
Ms Allan said the de-anonymising would then open the path of legal action.
“Right now you can’t bring a case against a person who is anonymous, we’re changing that by requiring tech giants to reveal the identity,” she said.
The laws would aim to open online trolls to the threat of civil lawsuits by revealing their identity. (Pexels)
The Morrison government pitched similar laws aimed at forcing companies to reveal the identity of abusive users in 2021, but the legislation did not pass.
That legislation was criticised by legal experts for providing little benefit for ordinary users who did not have the financial means to fight major legal battles.
The government had no specific details as to how the legislation would adapt to users living overseas or using VPNs.
