Misinformation and Disinformation
Code for 'preparing the homefront for an inevitable future showdown between superpowers'

"the bill is not about censorship"

Winston Smith's boss probably thought the same thing.

Change "chocolate ration are at 200grams" to "chocolate rations have increased from 100 to 150 grams". Doublethink.

ttbn,

Abbott’s comment was just a rhetorical jab, not a legitimate concern about the bill’s scope. He knows very well that false promises wouldn’t be captured by the bill.

Political promises, like Abbott’s “iron clad” guarantee as Health Minister, fall into a different category. Politicians will make campaign promises that are overly optimistic, fail to materialise, or change based on evolving circumstances.

(With the third there being Abbott’s excuse).

These kinds of promises are generally viewed as part of the political process, where campaign rhetoric sometimes diverges from practical outcomes. They don’t cause harm to public safety, health, or national security.

--

Canem Malum,

I’ve read the bill (and am qualified in law.) So, your 1984 analogy isn’t valid here (again).

If you’re so concerned about the bill, why don’t you just read it?

Or are you afraid that doing so will ruin the illusion and make it too difficult to maintain the rage?

ttbn- When the discussion degrades I find it pointless to contribute. Often I'll find something more useful to prioritize.

Waging a war against ‘misinformation’ in practice means silencing anyone who dares to question the official narrative.

Digital platforms will censor the speech and opinions of Australians to avoid massive fines.

A minister, on his/her own can order an investigation into any speech or opinions he/she doesn't like or do not fit in with the official narrative.

CM,

I'll wait for John Daysh and a couple of the other windbags to start threads instead of just attacking other posters who go to the trouble to do so. They jump in to criticise, but they don't have what it takes to create. Too many like them, and OLO would not exist for the skulkers.

ttbn,

You're still exaggerating and misrepresenting the bill. If you’re genuinely concerned, then the bill, the bill's digest, Hansard, and the transcripts of the readings can all be accessed here:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7239

If you get around to reading all, then the following should become really embarrassing for you:

//Waging a war against ‘misinformation’ in practice means silencing anyone who dares to question the official narrative.//

If you cared to read it, you would see that it isn’t about silencing dissent or legitimate criticism of the government. It’s about addressing misinformation and disinformation that can cause actual harm, like false health claims or manipulated information that affects public safety or national security.

There’s a big difference between censoring criticism and addressing demonstrable harm caused by deliberate falsehoods. Open debate and critique aren’t the target here - organised, harmful misinformation campaigns are.

//Digital platforms will censor the speech and opinions of Australians to avoid massive fines.//

No, platforms won’t have free reign to censor at will. They’ll need to assess risks and manage misinformation, but the framework will require transparency. The idea isn’t to punish platforms for every opinion expressed but to prevent them from allowing harmful, false narratives to flourish unchecked.

Also, platforms will need to be transparent in their policies, meaning they can’t just arbitrarily silence any speech. There are clear guidelines surrounding all this.

//A minister, on his/her own, can order an investigation into any speech or opinions he/she doesn't like or do not fit in with the official narrative.//

No, they can’t. Regulatory powers are given to ACMA, not directly to ministers.

//I’ll wait for John Daysh and a couple of the other windbags to start threads instead of just attacking other posters who go to the trouble to do so.//

I’ve never once attacked you. I’ve always been careful to play the ball, not the man; I’d be more motivated to start a thread, or even submit an article, if others here were capable of doing the same.

I hope you keep the threads coming. I find the debates they inspire to be a lot of fun.