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Website blocks for extreme terror content

Extremist websites will be banned under the new rules.

Extremist websites will be banned under the new rules. Photo: Getty

Websites hosting abhorrent violent material or extreme terror content will soon be more easily blocked.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher intends to put in place stricter rules after the Christchurch terror attacks were live-streamed in March.

“The Morrison government is determined to keep Australians safe online,” Mr Fletcher told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

“We’re also determined to ensure that terrorists and those advocating and supporting extreme violence are not able to use the internet to publicise or win support for their causes.”

The rules will be enforced by the country’s e-safety commissioner.

Labor supports the move but says there could be some risk of what it calls e-martyrdom, with some people liking the idea of being banned.

The government has already enacted laws making it a criminal offence for companies that do not take down videos showing abhorrent violent content.

Tech companies have promised to review their algorithms to make sure they aren’t pushing people towards terrorism or extreme violence.

Scott Morrison will try to push countries further on taking action against terrorist and violent extremist material on social media during a series of meetings on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.

The Prime Minister is seeking to build on progress he made at the G20 meeting in Osaka in asking countries to root out extremist content from all corners of the internet.

He is expected to discuss the issue on Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

-AAP

Topics: Terrorism
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