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Criminal Code Act 1983
276HPublishing material about offending conduct
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276H Publishing material about offending conduct
(a) publishes material on social media; and
(b) the material depicts conduct that constitutes an offence
against:
(i) a provision of Part VI, Division 3A, 4, 5 or 5A; or
(ii) a provision of Part VII, Division 1 or 6; or
(iii) a provision prescribed by regulation; and
(c) the person publishes the material with the intention of any of
the following:
(i) increasing the reputation or notoriety of a person who
engaged in the conduct;
(ii) boasting of the conduct;
(iii) glorifying the conduct;
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(iv) encouraging others to engage in the same or similar
(3) Strict liability applies to subsection (1)(b).
subsection (1) if the material is:
(a) fictional; or
(b) published for a genuine academic, artistic, educational,
journalistic, literary, satirical or scientific purpose; or
(c) published to inform the public of criminal conduct in order to:
(i) complain about the conduct; or
(ii) warn, notify or promote awareness of the conduct.
Examples for subsection (4)(c)
1 Residents posting videos of the conduct to document offences in their
community.
2 Police posting videos warning against engaging in the conduct.
(5) A person may be proceeded against, and convicted of, an offence
against subsection (1) whether or not anyone is charged or
convicted of the offence mentioned in subsection (1)(b) depicted in
the material.
(6) A person may be convicted of both an offence against
subsection (1) and the offence mentioned in subsection (1)(b)
depicted in the material.
material includes anything that contains data from which text,
sound or images can be generated.
Examples for definition material
Digital photographs and videos.
publish, in relation to material, means to make the material
available to the public by electronic means.
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social media means digital technology that allows the sharing of
ideas and information, including text, sound and images, through
virtual networks, virtual communities or any service for carrying
communications by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic
energy.
Examples for definition social media
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube and
X (Twitter).
Note for definition social media
Social media is often located on the internet, including the dark web and the deep
web.
Part VIII Attempts and preparation to commit offences:
conspiracy: accessories after the fact