Australia has introduced new legislation aimed at making technology companies more accountable for the safety of their online platforms, marking another major step in the country’s efforts to address digital harm. The Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill was introduced in Parliament on October 15, 2026, by the Albanese government, proposing minimum safety standards for digital services, including social media platforms, online games, applications and artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots.
The proposed legislation seeks to shift responsibility for online safety from individual users to the companies that design and operate digital services. It would require providers to take proactive measures to identify and reduce foreseeable risks, rather than relying primarily on removing harmful material after damage has occurred.
The move follows growing concerns about cyberbullying, harmful online content, abusive digital tools and the effects of platform design on children and other vulnerable users.
New Safety Obligations for Digital Platforms
The Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill proposes a broader framework for online safety by requiring digital service providers to assess the risks associated with their products, features and systems.
In accordance with the suggested policy, organisations should ensure that Australians are properly protected against highly dangerous material and behavior. These requirements should apply not only to social media but also to other types of digital services, including communication apps, online gaming sites and AI chatbots.
This legislation pays special attention to threats faced by young people who are under 18 years old, which includes pro-anorexia, criminal, stunt or any psychologically disturbing content that fosters discrimination against women.
The policy of the government focuses on preventive measures that involve creating a safe product.
Users to Gain Greater Control Over Social Media Feeds
Some of the provisions that relate to the Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill include the proposed “My Feed, My Way” project, which seeks to empower users of social media platforms by giving them control of what content they are fed.
The initiative would allow users who are 16 years and older to decide whether their primary feed consists of algorithmically-curated posts or posts made by accounts that they follow and engage with. The idea would be to make it easier for users to make a decision and not to frustrate their effort to switch to a different type of feed.
There are concerns that the algorithms used in the recommendation systems can lead to harm or can lead the users to content that they do not desire to be exposed to.
Tougher Penalties and Faster Complaint Responses
The Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill would give more teeth to the eSafety Commissioner of Australia, who is responsible for online safety in Australia.
Technology firms failing to abide by the proposed requirements could attract fines up to A$109.2 million. The proposed bill would also enhance the handling of complaints in terms of time taken to act on complaints of cyberbullying and abuse from 48 hours to 24 hours.
Moreover, the proposed bill would give the eSafety Commissioner the ability to take away the application and sites that can be used to manipulate intimate images without consent.
Such actions are aimed at enhancing accountability and offering a better way of handling online abuse.
Changes Following Consultation
The latest draft of the Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill includes modifications that have been adopted following consultations regarding the previous exposure draft presented in September 2026.
Amongst the main modifications is the elimination of the provision for the authority of the minister to create more categories of harmful content via rules. Rather, any creation of new categories of harmful content would be done by legislation.
This Bill further seeks to clarify the exceptions for professional news content and entertainment media.
What Happens Next?
Although the Australia Digital Duty of Care Bill has been introduced in Parliament, its provisions are not yet law. The legislation must proceed through the parliamentary process, including consideration by the Senate, before the proposed obligations can take effect.
If it passes, the law would mark a significant shift in the regulation of digital services in Australia through more attention to risk prevention and platform responsibility.
The draft bill is also a reflection of an international discussion regarding the obligations of technology companies when addressing online harm. As digital services become more important in people’s life for communication, entertainment and information provision, there is increased need to create some form of protection without limiting freedom of speech.
For technology companies operating in Australia, the draft may imply significant changes in product development, content moderation processes, complaint handling and risk assessments. It will be up to the parliamentary discussion to define the scope of those obligations.