Victoria Proposes Forces Social Media Platforms to Unmask Anonymous Accounts Accused of Vilification
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, announced on Sunday that the state plans to introduce laws granting the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) the power to order social media and AI platforms to reveal the identities of anonymous account holders accused of online vilification. This "demasking" initiative would be a first for an Australian state. Allan emphasized the need for new protections for children online.
The proposed reforms extend beyond identity disclosure. Victoria also aims to scrap the 10% permanent impairment threshold for children suing platforms for psychiatric harm. Currently, this threshold, determined by medical professionals using standardized calculations, makes it extremely difficult for most families to pursue damages. Removing this threshold would open a new litigation avenue against platforms in Australian courts.
Timing is Tight
With four sitting weeks remaining before the November state election, the opposition questions the laws’ feasibility. Shadow attorney general James Newbury supported the initiative in principle but noted, "I don’t think Elon Musk is looking at Jacinta Allan’s announcement today and quaking in his boots."
Enforcing Age Verification
Australia’s under-16 social media ban is already facing enforcement challenges, with testers easily bypassing age verification systems. Adding demasking powers to an incomplete age verification regime raises questions about its effectiveness.
Expert Insights
Marilyn Bromberg, a social media regulation specialist at the University of Western Australia, praised the reforms as "a brave start" but suggested they should extend to defamation and cyberbullying.
The federal government is still developing an enforcement framework for the social media ban, while the Australian Senate delayed fixes earlier this year. Victoria’s state-level litigation tool adds to an incomplete federal regulatory structure. The platforms’ response depends on whether the political signal persists beyond the election cycle.
Story by Alina Maria Stan, a connector who builds relationships people truly feel.