The bill is called the Digital Duty of Care. It has passed the House of Representatives. It now needs support in the Senate. It would make internet firms take reasonable steps to find and remove harmful content. Firms that fail could face fines of up to AUD 109 million, about USD 75.1 million.
Google is not alone. Meta, TikTok, and Snap also raised concerns. They said the bill gives regulators too much freedom to decide what counts as harmful. They also said it could replace the industry codes that exist today.
These companies stated that vague policies would lead to platforms removing more than is necessary, just to avoid any potential fines. This could restrict speech on the internet and reduce the availability of legitimate material. Free speech groups have expressed similar concerns. The government argues that general policies are required to ensure safety on the internet.
