The Australian government is considering a range of measures that would make social media companies more responsible for defamatory material published on their platforms, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said on Sunday.
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Intensifying a debate over the country's libel and defamation laws, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday called social media "a coward's palace, saying platforms should be treated as publishers when defamatory comments by unidentified people are posted.
Fletcher said the government was looking at that option and the extent of the responsibility in general of platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook when defamatory material was published on their sites.
Asked whether the government would consider laws that would fine social media platforms for posting defamatory material, Fletcher said the government was looking at a "a whole range" of measures.
The country's highest court ruled last month that publishers could be held liable for public comments on online forums, a judgement that has pitted Facebook and news organizations against each other.
