Australia to block websites hosting terror content during attacks
The government plans to crack down on extremists who exploit digital platforms to post very violent content.
Sunday 25 August 2019 10:48, UK
Websites and social media companies that host terrorist material during attacks will be blocked, Australian officials have said.
The government plans to crack down on extremists exploiting digital platforms to post very violent content.
And it is considering bringing in legislation to force the platforms to improve safety.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "We are doing everything we can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes."
The clampdown comes after suspected gunman Brenton Tarrant allegedly live-streamed on Facebook an attack on two mosques in March which claimed 51 lives in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.
This led to increased scrutiny of websites and social media companies.
Internet domains hosting any abhorrent violent material - content showing murder, attempted murder, rape, torture, or kidnapping - recorded by those involved would also be blocked, the government said.
A crisis coordination centre would also be set up to monitor the online world for extreme violence or terrorist material.
Mr Morrison is outlining his plans at the G7 summit in the French town of Biarritz, where the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US gathered.
He is trying to push countries to take more action against terrorist and violent extremist material during a series of meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
The Australian government has not elaborated on what legislative options would be used if digital platforms failed to improve safety.
Tech giants including Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft and Twitter, and telecoms firms Telstra, Vodafone, TPG and Optus are set to tell the government next month how they plan to carry out the recommendations.