Labor appeals to Google over misinformation fears before Australian election

Google queried over its strategy to prevent being exploited' by political figures such as Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly, who have been accused of undermining Australia's response to Covid

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Google must explain what steps it has taken to ensure the company's platforms and advertising capabilities are not exploited for misinformation" in the run-up to the next federal election, Labor's national secretary, Paul Erickson, has demanded.

In a letter to Google Australia's managing director, Mel Silva, seen by Guardian Australia, Erickson raises a number of objections to recent interventions by Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly - activity he says undermines confidence in Australia's public health response to Covid-19.