Australia passes law to punish companies for violent posts on social media
Last Thursday, the Austrailan government passed sweeping legislation which threatens social media companies with massive fines for failure to rapidly remove “abhorrent violent material” from their platforms. According to the NY Times, the law follows up less than month after after a gunman, believed to be an Australian white nationalist, posted a hate-filled post online before using Facebook to live-stream the massacre of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christan Porter, Australia’s attorney general, explained in a statement that weaponizing these platforms should not be allowed. The new law specifically targets videos containing footage of terrorist attacks, murders, rape or kidnapping. Social media companies that fail to remove such content could face fines up to 10 percent of their annual profit. Additionally, company employees could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.
Mormon church allows children of LGBT parent to be baptized
Last Thursday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a reversal in policies barring children of same-sex couples from important religious practices including baptisms. The church still does not condone homosexual marriage, but it takes a step back, allowing children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to be baptized without approval.
U.S. wins $50 million judgement against fake research publisher in India
Last Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it has won a $50 million court judgment against Omics International of Hyderabad, India, and its owner, Srinubabu Gedela. Omics International is among the many “predatory journals” which disperse online publications with little to no scientific credibility for a fee. According to the NY Times, some academics who are described as editors on the journals’ websites are not editors, and are not even aware that their names are being used. The decision is seen as a victory by the scientific community whose credibility is eroded by the imposters.
Belgium apologizes for violent colonial era actions
Last Thursday, Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel formally apologized in front of a plenary session of Parliament for the country’s role in the kidnap, segregation, deportation and forced adoption of thousands of children during its colonial rule of Burundi, Congo and Rwanda. Coming nearly 60 years after the countries gained independence, the apology demonstrates Belgium’s efforts to redress the many harms from its colonial history.
