Aust prisoners face social media shutdown

Notorious prisoners could be barred from using third parties to access social media sites across Australia.

The plans will be discussed at high-level talks in Canberra with the Victorian corrections minister to push for a national approach to tackle the issue.

"The Victorian government is calling for uniform national laws to prevent third party communications in the name of prisoners," Victoria's Corrections Minister Ben Carroll said on Tuesday.

Earlier this year new rules were established in Victoria to ban prisoners from using third parties from setting up social media accounts on behalf of jailbirds.

"Posts in prisoners' names can be distressing to victims of crime and can also threaten the security and good order of the prison system," Mr Carroll said.

He will speak at the corrective services ministers conference held on Tuesday.