Should the government regulate social media sites, as a means to prevent fake news and misinformation?

No, but there should be a fact-checking system separate from both the government and the site to prevent government control

Yes, to an extent. Repeat offenders of spreading deliberately incorrect information should be liable to punishment for something in a similar vein to defamation.

Yes, but give the duty to a body independent of the government, and make it an offense for any member of government to try and influence this body.

The government needs to worry more about videos and photos of people dying on social media that are traumatic, not fake news…

Yes and they should be organised into a single state corporation to improve efficiency and reduce leftist misinformation

Should not regulate, but some misinformation are too serious which an action from the official should be taken.

Government shouldn't regulate, but they do need the power to go after & shut down fake news & misinformation.

They should reuglate social media sites, but not as a means to prevent fake news and misinformation. They should be monitored for illegal activity.

Provide a service which can debunk and fact-check claims and require social media sites to take down posts pending an investigation.

There should be a regulation on fake news and misinformation, but only if the government is trustworthy, which is rare.

Both public and private involvement to regulate this is necessary to increase likelihood of fair and reasonable regulation over either sides political alignment

This is a complex question. Farm trolls and deliberate misinformation need to be dealt with. Perhaps it should be a condition of social media platforms operating that they strenuously moderate their sites?

No, though the algorithm that continually feeds the same content (click bait) should be banned, so users are exposed to all information not just one that feeds the same narrative (bias)

The government should make it illegal for social media companies to remove news that the company doesn’t agree with only removing illegal activity

There should be legislation that holds social media companies accountable if harmful misinformation is spread

No, but they should put in place something to make sure that the social media companies make sure there is no fake news

Social media should be regulated the same as television, radio and advertising. Anything blatantly false or defamatory should be removed and the platform should be fined

Yes, but the government should have an external independent organisation regulate and prevent fake news and misinformation.

No, the government should not determine what is fake or real news & No, social media companies are private and should not be regulated by the government.

Somewhat yes.

Web platforms should be required to fact check and declare results for any high reach content.

No, but social media companies should be monitored by social conscience.

Lying should be made illegal at a news & media level

No, the government should not determine what is fake or real news but an independant body should be set up to regulate social media sites and fake news/misinformation.

Yes, but don't regulate right wing media too strictly

An independent authority appointed by parliament should oversee this

Yes, but only if the government is completely honest about the news that is being spread, and not use the regulations to support any propaganda.

Social media should be regulated but not government controlled

I think it would be micro managing for the government to have control over everything we are viewing. Let people decide for themselves by giving them the information.

No, but independent impartial regulation should be mandatory

Yes, but through legislation which puts responsibility on the sites

Yes, but they should only change the algorithm, not censor information

The government can't determine what is fake or real, as it could be used for their political agenda. But hate speech should be regulated.

Only companies who refuse to implement their own regulations

no but increase the oversight and penalties for sites

It's impossible to truly do this; any implementable system to censor the internet beyond what measures are already in place would be far too authoritarian and an egregious offence to the rights of citizens.

Yes, but an independent body needs to be responsible for regulating and defining 'fake news'.

No, introduce a 1st admendmant type law which only limits a private institutions ability to restrict free speech

a third organisation should be regulating social media to prevent fake news and misinformation.

The government spread the misinformation themselves.

Difficult question as the media will scream about freedom of speech. However, this sector can have devastating impact on people’s lives. We definitely don’t want a Trump here in Australia. So possible some regulation is required with the ability for the Government to shut them down if breaches occur.

The problem with this question is who fact checks the fact checkers? Who funds these companies because that's where the current problem lies within social media fact checking

This is 2 both sides

Yes, but only if they also regulate traditional media outlets

No, but it should be regulated through independent, non-partisan third parties

Yes, as long as the information is political and deemed false and potentially dangerous

Social media companies should be regulated, it’s not the government’s job to regulate their content.

Yes, but only to prevent their terms of service being selectively or arbitrarily enforced

Yes and they should also monitor the news put on the TV and actively abolish political biases like the Murdoch press's bias towards the Liberal Party

No, the government should not determine what is fake or real news. Social media companies also should not determine what is fake or real news.

No, but social media sites and all news outlets should be regulated by an NGO

Social media sites should regulate the posts that are on their sites.

Government action should only be taken if the fake news or misinformation in question is becoming influential across a significant majority. Often, fake news is debunked online quickly by audiences anyway, so mass government intervention is unnecessary.

these processes need to be in place, but they should be undertaken by an independent organization.

Yes, but the government should make companies liable to self-regulation

If they do then the need to do the same to msm too

No, but an opinion or fact note could be made to reduce misinformation

No, because the controlling government could use it to push out opposition truths

they should confirm what is fake or real news

i don’t care

Companies should be required to police this

Yes, however, the government should hire an independent group to do the regulating so that political interference is not involved.

Yes, social media needs to be screened for fake news, however this would need to be carried out by an external agency or body that has no political ties, the same way the judicial system is separated from government

Yes, social media companies are politically biased and need to be regulated, however the same applies for government-backed institutions

Yet again, not a black v white question. So not regulation, but yes to legislation

Yes, by strengthening prosecution laws.

yes and no, there is certainly lots of fake news out there but this could be used as a way for governments to over regulate and control their citizens through social media

How about the government just let social media companies run their social media. If there is fake news, it will be known by the general public because we talk.

No, there should be regulation, but not from the government as politicians are not independent, and too much of the misinformation online is politically motivated

Probably not because I feel like that should be the responsibility of the social media companies

Yes, but as long as we don’t cross the boundary into censorship.

No, however the social media companies should regulate their sites to prevent fake news and misinformation.

no just educate peopke

No, but social media sites should have incentives to regulate their platform in an unbiased manner.

Social media companies should be legally required to regulate their own platforms to prevent fake news and misinformation.

I can't trust the government to regulate social media, there is too high a chance they censor left wing news and views.

Yes, but give social media companies a chance to self regulate first.

Social media companies shpuld be fined

No, to protect free speech, but teach people about what is fake and real.

Yes but only to the extent of political, health and scientific news.

Only to the extent of political, health and scientific news.

No, this would be a breach of privacy

There needs to be some regulation but not by the government

No, the government needs to spend more on getting out the factual message

I think it should be regulated but not just over fake news, bullying & hate speech seems to be a more important target. There should also be age restrictions in place as so much of these issues seem to stem from teenager - young adult age groups

More regulation needs to be done on the internet as a whole, we could look at utilising technology to create an AI that is able to verify information, references, sources et certra and provide a score on the validity of the website, article, information et cetra so people could make more informed decisions.

No the government should improve education levels and promote positive reporting of news by media outlets

Hold them legally responsible and they will regulate themselves.

People shouldnt be gullible nimrods. There is not one unbiased news program in Australia making it impossible to get balanced views like myself

Neither I don’t trust social media or believe all the information the government provides us is correct

This is a difficult question that requires nuance

Not necessarily regulate per say but at least hold the social media sites accountable for any misinformation, especially if they go viral

No, but an independent unbiased body should stop the spread of Fake news and Misinformation.

No, but there should be funding put towards fact checking sites and information hubs to help citizens easily identify misinformation

The government should be able to highlight things as fake or satire but should not be able to hide or delete tweets from the public.

No, but social media companies should be liable for content on their platforms

When social media companies censor content, do you think they are protecting users or limiting free expression?

How can social media platforms balance the need to stop harmful content without silencing free speech?

Have you ever witnessed or experienced online content being removed or censored, and how did it make you feel?