Australia Regulator Rejects Tech Giants' Censorship Warning on A$109 Million Safety Bill
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Nov 10
Australia Regulator Rejects Tech Giants' Censorship Warning on A$109 Million Safety Bill
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Nov 10
Summary
Julie Inman Grant told a Senate inquiry she had seen no sign platforms were over-censoring, rejecting claims the Digital Duty of Care bill would chill free speech.
The proposal would require internet companies to proactively prevent user harms or face fines of up to A$109 million, while also letting users opt out of algorithmic recommendations.
Google had warned the law's age-check provisions could force it to block under-18s from Gmail, and Meta, TikTok and Snap said regulators would gain too much discretion over harmful content.
Inman Grant argued platforms are incentivized to maximize engagement and that most excessive takedowns stem from automated moderation without human oversight, though she said lawmakers could narrow definitions of harmful content.
The bill has passed the House of Representatives and still needs crossbench backing in the Senate, with the government aiming to enact it by year-end.