Australia Introduces Digital Duty of Care Bill to Regulate Tech

Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced the Digital Duty of Care Bill 2026 to the Australian Parliament on Thursday. The legislation mandates that social media platforms, gaming services, and AI chatbots maintain a safe environment by proactively preventing harms such as misogyny, pro-terror content, disordered eating, and gender-based violence. Platforms failing to comply face fines up to 109.2 million Australian dollars.

A central feature of the bill is the "my feed my way" provision, which allows users aged 16 and older to opt out of algorithmic recommendations in favor of feeds consisting only of accounts they follow. The bill also empowers the eSafety Commissioner to remove AI-powered nudification services and reduces the response deadline for cyberbullying complaints to 24 hours. To prevent over-censorship, the government explicitly excluded professional news, artistic content, and public health material from the definition of harmful material.

The legislation faces a divided parliament. The Coalition (Australia) and the campaign group Advance Australia oppose the bill, labeling it a "Big Brother bill" and criticizing its vague wording and the use of "sockpuppet" accounts for enforcement. Conversely, the Australian Greens support the bill in principle but are negotiating for steeper penalties tied to global revenue and the right for individuals to sue tech companies directly. Minister Wells has denied censorship claims, stating the laws target illegal and harmful material rather than adult speech.