Meta tells Australia inquiry it will label government-affiliated accounts

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced plans to label government-affiliated accounts on its new platform Threads.

This move comes shortly after the launch of Threads, which is seen as a competitor to Twitter. The company aims to improve media literacy by providing transparency about the affiliations of these accounts. Meta’s head of public policy for Australia, Josh Machin, stated that any state-affiliated media violating their policies would be removed from the platform. The company is also considering broader functionality around tags as a top priority. However, concerns have been raised about Twitter’s recent removal of government affiliation tags and the potential abuse of power by media regulators.

Meta expressed its concerns about an Australian proposal to give the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) powers to police and fine social media companies for the spread of disinformation and misinformation. While Meta supports the enforcement of an industry code of conduct, it believes that the draft legislation goes too far and could restrict free expression online.