Australia to probe foreign interference through social media platforms

Australia established an investigation into potential foreign political interference through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WeChat. The use of social media by foreign powers to undermine the country's democracy will be examined in the new parliamentary inquiry.The committee was established after the ruling coalition government-backed the opposition Labour Party's proposal

China's interference in Australia's internal affairs

Australia alleges that China is trying to interfere in Canberra's affair through spreading misinformation on social media. The bipartisan parliamentary Senate select committee that is set to investigate the alleged interference will need to report its findings by 2022, around the time Australia will hold its next general election. 

Read: Australian PM: Allegations Of China Interference 'deeply Disturbing'

In 2017, the then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a new law that required groups lobbying for foreign countries to register. The new law was criticised by Beijing. China is the largest trading partner of Australia and the two countries share a lot of similar interests. Many Chinese students study in Australian universities, where a student who participated in the pro-Hong Kong protest was called back to China. Reportedly, China came to know about the incident through social media. 

Read: China Accuses UN Rights Chief Of 'inappropriate' Interference Over Hong Kong

According to the Australian intelligence agency, China was responsible for the cyber-attack on its national parliament in September this year. The attack also targeted the three largest political parties of the country. China denied its involvement following which there was no comment by the Australian government. Last month, Australian media reported that China has installed a spy in Australia's federal parliament.

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The Australian government is taking the issue very seriously as similar external interference was reported in the United States when US intelligence analysts found Russia's involvement in the 2016 US presidential election. A Labour lawmaker said that Australia must protect its democracy from malicious foreign actors. PM Scott Morrison has said that the Australian government has never been more determined to keep citizens 'free and safe from foreign interference'.

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(With Inputs from Agencies)