Australia: lower house passes "digital duty of care" bill; amendment adds SI chatbots that simulate emotional intimacy with children
Prepared by Sintelligent with the help of SI. Published in SI: . Updated: .
Australia is writing protection of children from SI companions into law; the Senate will decide the bill's fate next.
The bill passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday and moves to the Senate; the government hopes to pass it by the end of 2026. It imposes on social media, games, apps and chatbots a general duty to provide a safe environment and requires social media to offer an option to switch off the algorithmic feed. The government accepted an amendment from independent MP Kate Chaney: platforms must ban "material or conduct that simulates emotional intimacy and encourages or fosters a child's dependence on it in place of human relationships." The evening before, Prime Minister Albanese called cases of people treating a chatbot as their "best friend" a "wake-up call" for parliament. The opposition and One Nation voted against; opponents call the system "Orwellian" censorship, which Communications Minister Anika Wells rejects. A Senate inquiry set up by the Greens is due to report in late November.
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