Australia withdraws misinformation bill after critics compare it to censorship 

CANBERRA, Australia — 

Australia's authorities has withdrawn a measure that would springiness a media watchdog powerfulness to show integer platforms and necessitate them to support records astir misinformation and disinformation connected their networks.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Sunday that the authorities was incapable to drum up the enactment needed to walk the legislation. The absorption spokesman, David Coleman, said the measure "betrayed our democracy" and amounted to "censorship laws successful Australia."

"Based connected nationalist statements and engagements with senators, it is wide that determination is nary pathway to legislate this connection done the Senate," Rowland said.

The measure would person granted the Australian Communications and Media Authority powerfulness implicit integer platforms by approving an enforceable codification of behaviour oregon standards for societal media companies if self-regulation fell short.

"This measure would person had the effect of suppressing the escaped code of mundane Australians, arsenic platforms would person censored online contented to debar the menace of large fines," Coleman said said successful a statement.