Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese has taken a swing at Facebook in his last major speech of the political year, accusing the social media giant of being complacent with false information.

Key points: Anthony Albanese wants social media websites held to account for the content they host

Anthony Albanese wants social media websites held to account for the content they host He will argue misinformation is negatively influencing the public's opinion of the political system

He will argue misinformation is negatively influencing the public's opinion of the political system The Labor leader will also renew calls for an overhaul of freedom of information laws

In a speech to the Chifley Research Centre Conference in Sydney on Saturday, Mr Albanese criticised online platforms for being unwilling to filter out content, even when it is wrong.

He referenced images circulated on Facebook doctored to show Mr Albanese purportedly supporting men's rights activist Leith Erikson's campaign against the Family Court.

"Now, here's the rub: unless you'd seen the original, there is no way that you would know the image was a fake. My words were replaced with Mr Erikson's. The image even included my legal authorisation at the bottom — a clear breach of Australia's electoral laws," he said.

"When we raised this with Facebook, they shrugged. They said it wasn't a breach of community guidelines.

"What then happens when platforms become so complacent with misinformation that they become unable to filter it out?"

Mr Albanese argued that misinformation was robbing political debates of civility, and negatively influencing the public's opinion of the political system.

The speech came after Labor backbencher Malarndirri McCarthy revealed she had been receiving "disturbing and hurtful" threats to gang-rape, bash and kill her for the past two years.

The threats have been so horrific she needs the presence of Australian Federal Police (AFP) to attend public events.

It's a similar case for Murray-Darling water ministers, who also need police protection to visit some basin communities amid threats being levelled at them.

Mr Albanese said Australia cannot afford such dissatisfaction in democracy.

"When the idealists lose interest in democracy, the cynics win, and positive change stops."

Senator McCarthy detailed nearly two years of abuse in an emotional speech to Parliament. ( ABC News: Mitch Woolnough )

Calls for a culture of disclosure, not secrecy

The Opposition Leader renewed calls for freedom of information laws to be overhauled.

"Reform freedom of information laws so they can't be flouted by government. The current delays, obstacles, costs and exemptions make it easier for the government to hide information from the public. That's not right," he said.

"Journalism is not a crime. It's essential to preserving our democracy. We don't need a culture of secrecy. We need a culture of disclosure."

Referencing the AFP raids on the ABC's Ultimo headquarters and the Canberra home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst, he called for protections for public interest journalism to be enshrined in law in a bipartisan way and for the protections of whistleblowers to be expanded.

"Journalists raided by police, with prosecutions not fully ruled out," he said.

"There's something sinister about these episodes that I know Australians will look back upon in the future with astonishment."

The speech is the third in a series of seven "vision statements" he will make as he seeks to stamp his leadership on federal Labor, which he took over after May's surprise election loss.