Australia Backs Ban on AI Chatbots Fostering Child Dependence as Duty-of-Care Bill Faces Senate Test
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 28
Australia Backs Ban on AI Chatbots Fostering Child Dependence as Duty-of-Care Bill Faces Senate Test
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 28
Summary
Labor accepted an amendment to outlaw AI chatbot conduct that simulates emotional intimacy and encourages children to depend on bots instead of human relationships.
Anthony Albanese pushed the change after warning that children treating chatbots as their “best friend” should be a wake-up call for parliament to act.
The broader digital duty of care bill passed the House on Wednesday, would cover social media, games, apps and chatbots, and require platforms to offer an easy-to-find algorithm opt-out.
Senate passage remains uncertain: the Greens support the bill but want stronger penalties, private legal action and an external complaints pathway, while the Coalition voted against it and calls it censorship.
Pressure is also building to expand the telecommunications ombudsman into a big-tech watchdog, giving users a route for complaints and compensation that the current bill does not provide.