Commentary on Provisions Requirements when publishing electronic material Section 53 – Exceptions to requirement in section 52
170.This section sets out a number of exceptions to the regime. Subsection (1) provides that generally, the re-publishing or ‘re-sharing’ of electronic material will not require a new imprint, where the original (section 52 compliant) imprint is retained in the material, and the material (the content or the imprint) has not been materially altered since it was previously published (for example, sharing, forwarding or re-posting an existing message on social media). The exception applies regardless of whether the material is re-published by the original promoter, or by another person.
171.Subsection (3) outlines exceptions for material published for journalistic purposes which is the publication of electronic material on a website or mobile application whose primary purpose is the publication of journalism. For example, campaigning material written as an article in a blog or an online newspaper would not require a digital imprint.
172.Subsection (5) makes provision to amend the section, by way of regulations, to add, modify or remove cases to which an imprint is not required.