"Australian lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill that punishes internet companies for failing to promptly purge their platforms of 'abhorrent violent material,' placing new responsibilities on social media providers as a direct result of last month’s mosque shootings in nearby Christchurch, New Zealand. Opposed by stakeholders in Silicon Valley, the bill swiftly passed the Australian House of Representatives a day after finding similar success in the Senate in spite of criticism from opponents who labeled it a rushed response to the March 15 massacre, footage of which was partly broadcast live on Facebook and subsequently shared on other services. The Counter Extremism Project, an NGO co-founded by former diplomat Mark Wallace, applauded the Australian bill as 'pioneering' and urged other countries to follow suit. 'It’s evident that tech’s desire for self-regulation is failing, and governments must step in to ensure that the proper measures are in place to protect its citizens from the ongoing misuse of Internet sites and platforms,' said Mr. Wallace, an ambassador to the United Nations for the U.S. under former President George W. Bush."