Independent Senator Nick Xenophon wants the next federal government to appoint a social media watchdog to crack down on Facebook and Twitter trolls.
Senator Xenophon said the appointment of a social media ombudsman would give Australians the same protections enjoyed by social media users in other countries.
It comes after an incident in 2010 when two Facebook memorial sites for murder victims in Queensland were flooded with pornographic and obscene messages.
"So many social media users in this country feel powerless to protect themselves from abuse and it's about time that stopped," Senator Xenophon said in a statement on Wednesday.
"A social media ombudsman would be the best way of dealing with it, due to the myriad of platforms and systems that abound."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Under the senator's plan the ombudsman would operate through the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
