Editorial
Recently there has been a lot of comment and discussion around social media platforms and their responsibility to pay for the news content on their sites.
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That will remain an ongoing discussion.
Yet this week another issue has raised its head.
An issue which has again raised a key question for these platforms and our governments.
That question: Where is the social responsibility for social media platforms?
There would not be an Australian parent who has schoolchildren who wouldn't know the matter we are referring to.
It has resulted in every school around the nation sending warnings home about a piece of content distributed on a social media platform, in this case TikTok.
It relates to a video of someone ending their own life being readily available and shared on a popular social media website.
Now, imagine for a second, if it was a media organisation which shared that content?
The organisation would be facing significant sanctions and the editor a stint in a jail cell.
Yet are we content as a society to accept this on social media seemingly without question?
"It's social media, who can stop it?" is often the catchcry.
The answer to that is simple. The social media platforms can stop it.
And if they don't they should be subjected to the same regulation and penalties that we impose on other distributors of content or information. Is that really too much to ask?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was talking tough this week.
"No child should be exposed to horrifying content like this," Mr Morrison said on Wednesday.
"Platforms like TikTok need to put in more resources to detect and tear down this sort of harmful content. That is their responsibility."
The time for talk has well and truly passed Prime Minister.
Legislators have not kept pace with society and we demand better.
Time to stop talking the talk and walk the walk.
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