Australia Has Passed a Sweeping Social Media Law. Here's What to Know

Lawmakers in Australia passed new legislation on Thursday to hold social media companies accountable for the spread of hate content on their platforms. With its implementation, companies such as Facebook and YouTube could be subject to huge fines, and their executives threatened with jail time, if they do not ensure the "expeditious" removal of inappropriate material.

Lawmakers in Australia passed new legislation on Thursday to hold social media companies accountable for the spread of hate content on their platforms. With its implementation, companies such as Facebook and YouTube could be subject to huge fines, and their executives threatened with jail time, if they do not ensure the "expeditious" removal of inappropriate material.