Google has cautioned Australian senators that a forthcoming online safety measure could compel the company to prevent under-18 users from accessing Gmail. During a Senate hearing on Monday, a Google policy executive flagged the risk, according to Reuters.
The Digital Duty of Care bill mandates that internet platforms demonstrate active efforts to eliminate harmful material. Companies that do not comply face potential penalties reaching A$109m ($75m). The legislation also obliges each service provider to maintain its platform in as safe a condition as reasonably achievable for its user base.
Communications Minister Anika Wells unveiled the bill on 15 October. The Labor government requires backing from the Greens, who support a duty of care framework but are pushing for stricter financial penalties. The House of Representatives approved the bill in late October. Senate approval now depends on cross-party consensus, with a committee scheduled to deliver its report by 20 November.
Rachel Lord, who oversees policy matters in Australia and New Zealand for Google's YouTube division, identified the core issue: a provision demanding age verification in situations where minors might encounter adult content.
That provision "could require us to age-assure and block access to everyday communication services like messaging, email and private file storage," Lord stated at the hearing.
We are talking about potentially intrusive monitoring within private communications or file storage
Rachel Lord
Meta, TikTok and Snap voiced parallel objections during the same hearing. These platforms argued that the bill grants regulators excessive discretion in defining what constitutes harmful material or behavior. The measure would also supersede certain existing industry codes that platforms currently follow. Multiple companies warned that the vagueness of the language could incentivize excessive content removal as a defensive measure against substantial financial penalties.
Government officials have countered that expansive legislation represents the only viable approach to protecting internet users. Should the bill become law, the new duty framework is anticipated to commence following a 12-month implementation window.
Australia has already implemented a ban preventing children under 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms. This historic restriction took effect in December 2025 and includes YouTube among the restricted services. The Senate hearing continued beyond Lord's testimony.
Source: The Next Web
