Social media platforms will be under the microscope as part of a parliamentary inquiry into their influence and impact on Australian society.
The federal government will create a committee to investigate the content people are exposed to online.
The joint standing committee will examine algorithms on social media platforms and how they determine what users see, as well as their impact on mental health.
Harmful content, such as extremist material and scams, will be at the center of the investigation.
The decision by Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to abandon deals with media companies to support public interest journalism will also be investigated.
Social media platforms will be under the microscope as part of a parliamentary inquiry into their influence and impact on Australian society. In the photo: Elon Musk, Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon.
The formation of the committee comes as the federal government has been at odds with social media giants over the removal of violent content online following the stabbing of a church leader in Sydney in April.
Platforms such as X, formerly known as Twitter, refused to comply with takedown requests from the internet safety watchdog after the stabbing.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said social media companies had a responsibility to users to be accountable and transparent about their decisions.
“These social media companies have enormous reach and control over what Australians see with little or no scrutiny,” he said.
“In our democracy, it is imperative that Australians have access to quality public interest journalism, including on social media.”
Meta said in March it would not renew deals with Australian media outlets worth millions of dollars as part of the news media bargaining code.
The code was created in 2021 to address power imbalances between media outlets and social media platforms that broadcast content from publishers.
Rowland said the investigation would be critical given the amount of misinformation on social media.
“Parliament needs to understand how social media companies ramp up and down content that supports healthy democracies, as well as anti-social content that undermines public safety,” he said.
“Establishing this inquiry will provide opportunities and resources for parliamentarians to closely examine these companies and make recommendations on how we can hold these platforms to account for their decisions.”
The government is expected to consult MPs and senators on the committee’s terms of reference, and a referral setting up the inquiry will be made next week.