Regulatory green light granted for implementing fresh social media guidelines by the government
Government Members' Social Media Accounts: Controversial Amendment Approved
In a contentious move, the Constitutional Committee of the National Council gave the green light to a proposal on Thursday that allows ministerial offices to take part in government members' social media accounts. This controversial amendment, pushed by the three-party coalition, along with the Greens, was designed to dodge steep fines by the Independent Party Transparency Senate (IPTS) for alleged unauthorized party donations.
However, the Court of Audit throws cold water on this decision, with Margit Kraker, the Revisor's president, deeming the new regulation insufficient.She argues that there should be a clear separation between government and party-political accounts on social media.
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The new rules will be effective from July 1, 2025, and will be retroactive in many areas. This change could impact substantial fines imposed on ÖVP, NEOS, and Greens in May. However, due to the ongoing appeals, the legality of these fines is not yet certain, and the FPÖ feels that the current approach is premature.
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IPTS and the Court of Audit assert that ministerial offices' involvement in social media accounts of government members should be classed as a federal party donation if the account does not belong to the ministry but is run by the party. To address this issue, the proposed Party Act amendment allows employees in ministerial offices at the federal and state levels to collaborate with social media accounts under certain conditions. The rules stipulate that the contributions must be clearly distinguishable from party-political content, thus avoiding fines. This same rule should apply to social media accounts of club officers and members of parliament.
The future of social media regulation in Austria remains unclear, with ongoing conversations regarding restrictions for younger users and potential engagement with popular platforms. However, the specifics of the amendment allowing ministerial offices to participate in government members' social media accounts are not fully detailed in the current sources, and criticism surrounding the proposal primarily pertains to concerns about freedom of expression and privacy in the context of government interference in social media use[1][4].
The controversy surrounding the amendment approved by the Constitutional Committee of the National Council, which allows ministerial offices to take part in government members' social media accounts, has extended to the discussion of social media regulation in Austria. The proposed Party Act amendment, aimed at addressing the issue of ministerial offices collaborating with social media accounts, also highlights the need for a clear separation between government and party-political accounts.
In the context of ongoing conversations regarding social media regulation, there are additional concerns about the amendment, particularly regarding freedom of expression and privacy in the context of government interference in social media use.
