New laws are being considered by the federal government to crack down on online abuse and violent material.

Under the proposed laws, websites and social media platforms could face fines of more than $500,000.

The penalties for adults could be as much as $111,000 for posting seriously harmful content and failing to take it down.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner Julie Grant told 6PR Breakfast “this allows us to take down harmful content within 24 hours.”

The proposed laws would require platforms to remove severely harmful, abusive or online bullying content.

“We are being given a separate set of powers to make them comply with basic online safety expectations, and how they are actually enforcing their own policies,” she said.

The proposed legislation would also give the eSafety commissioner the power to quickly block websites in crisis events, such as the live-streaming of the Christchurch shooting.

“People need to know they can no longer push hate and prejudice, and misogamy, and racism, and hurl violent threats at people with impunity.”

The new proposed laws would be the world’s toughest takedown laws for online trolls.

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