The Front Page podcast: Facebook 'not to be trusted', as strict new laws get traction

Facebook has been heavily criticised for its response after the Christchurch mosque attacks. Photo / Getty

Each weekday The Front Page keeps you up to date with the biggest news in New Zealand. Today it's Facebook's founder being labelled a 'pathological liar', while the UK becomes the latest to debate strict new laws, a looming strike from primary teachers, and a group of New Zealanders band together to ask for more tax. Hosted by Frances Cook.

Listen to "Facebook 'not to be trusted', as strict new laws get traction" on Spreaker.

Facebook has been labelled 'morally bankrupt, pathological liars', by New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner.

John Edwards used Twitter last night to post his most pointed attack on the social network yet, although he has been heavily critical since the platform was used to livestream the terror attack in Christchurch.

"Facebook cannot be trusted. They are morally bankrupt pathological liars who enable genocide (Myanmar), facilitate foreign undermining of democratic institutions."

"[They] allow the live streaming of suicides, rapes, and murders, continue to host and publish the mosque attack video, allow advertisers to target 'Jew haters' and other hateful market segments, and refuse to accept any responsibility for any content or harm. They #DontGiveAZuck," Edwards said in a follow-up tweet.

Edwards says he's asked Facebook how many suicides, murders and sexual assaults are livestreamed. But the company either doesn't have those figures, or won't disclose them.

He says Facebook can cause great harm - and it's dodging the responsibility.

He says it's been asked to switch off live streaming until it can find a way to do it safely, and it's refused.

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However, a global response does seem to be gaining traction.

Australia's tough new law threatens social media companies with fines up to 10 per cent of their revenue and up to three years jail for their executives if they fail to remove "abhorrent violent material expeditiously".

UK lawmakers now seem likely to follow suit.

On Sunday, British regulators unveiled a landmark proposal to penalise Facebook, Google and other tech giants that don't stop the spread of harmful content online.

The aggressive, new plan targets a wide array of web content, including child exploitation, false news, terrorist activity and extreme violence.

If approved by Parliament, UK watchdogs would gain unprecedented powers to issue fines and other punishments when social media sites don't swiftly remove the worst posts, photos or videos from public view.

Top British officials said their blueprint would amount to "world-leading laws to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online".

The document raises the possibility that the top executives of major tech companies could be held directly liable for failing to police their platforms.

In a statement on Sunday, UK Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright said "the era of self-regulation for online companies is over."

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However, while the government response is stepping up, the corporate response seems to be cooling down.

ANZ - the country's largest bank - says it will return to advertising on Facebook soon.

But other major banks are still holding off and are yet to make a decision on when or if they will return to the social media giant.

Major New Zealand corporates including banks, telecommunication companies and Air New Zealand pulled advertising in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks over concerns about the lack of controls around livestreaming the attack on Facebook and the way it was shared globally.

ANZ is the first of the major banks to say it will return. An ANZ spokesman said it would be resuming advertising with Facebook and Google over the coming weeks.

The spokesperson says they have been in contact with the social media companies, to make their ongoing concerns known.

He says the bank will be monitoring progress and won't hesitate to act if management of online content doesn't meet the standards expected by ANZ, its customers and the public.

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Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has announced new details of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch mosque terror attack.

Jacinda Ardern announced late last month that a Royal Commission would be set up to investigate how the March 15 attack in which 50 people were killed was able to happen.

In today's post-Cabinet press conference, she announced Supreme Court Justice Sir William Young has been appointed chair of the Inquiry, and outlined the main areas of inquiry.

Rhe Commission will look at:

The alleged gunman's activities before the attack, including:

• Relevant information from his time in Australia

• His arrival and residence in New Zealand

• His travel within New Zealand and internationally

• How he obtained a gun licence, weapons and ammunition

• His use of social media and other online media

• His connections with others in New Zealand and internationally

• What relevant state sector agencies knew about him and his activities before this attack; what actions, if any, they took in light of that knowledge; and whether there were any additional measures the agencies could have taken to prevent the attack

• Whether there were any impediments to relevant state sector agencies gathering or sharing information relevant to the attack, or acting upon such information, including legislative impediments

• Whether there was any inappropriate concentration or priority setting of counter-terrorism resources by relevant state sector agencies prior to the attack.

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Primary teachers and principals have overwhelmingly rejected their latest pay offers, with a nationwide strike now proposed on May 29th.

NZEI president Lynda Stuart says the voting results show teachers and principals are united, and the Government needs to get serious in their response.

She says the offer they rejected had no new spending from the Government, compared to the previous offers.

Paid union meetings will be held in the second week of next term, and if there's no progress, union members could take partial strike action by working to rule from May 15.

Christchurch-based deputy principal Margie Askin-Jarden says they show every day, and in the most extreme circumstances, that they prioritise the care and learning of children.

"But the profession truly is at breaking point," she said.

The PPTA has also expressed its support, saying secondary schooling is facing similar issues to those in primary schools.

Working to rule could affect a large number of things teachers involve themselves in.

Saturday sports, student conferences, assessment work, taking work home, and more.

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A nationwide campaign pushing for a capital gains tax launched today by Tax Justice Aotearoa NZ.

The campaign, which officially launched at Parliament this morning, is backed by advertising in major newspapers across the country, and on billboards and in bus shelters in Wellington.

The group says the campaign will add balance to the current tax debate and give voice to the many people and organisations who believe it's time for a capital gains tax to help reduce inequality in Aotearoa.

As well as a capital gains tax, the campaign calls for tax cuts for low to middle income-earners and hikes for the highest paid.

It also suggests reducing GST, pressuring multinationals to pay more tax in New Zealand and taking stronger tax action against polluters.

The Government is still assessing the Capital Gains Tax proposal, put forward by Sir Michael Cullen's Tax Working Group, and will respond by the end of the month.

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That's the Front Page for today, Monday, April 8, making sure you're across the biggest news of the day. For more on these stories, check out The New Zealand Herald, or tune in to Newstalk ZB.

You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts here, iHeartRadio here, and Spotify here.

If you like to stay up to date on social media, you can find host Frances Cook on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.