A new law that aims to deal with misleading statements on the internet could restrict free speech and make people fearful of expressing their political views, critics say.
Put into effect before the federal election, the law declares that anyone who shares or publishes a “false statement” about a “candidate, a prospective candidate, the leader of a political party, or a public figure associated with a political party” could face a fine of up to $50,000 and a prison term as high as five years.
