Australia's Digital Duty of Care: A New Era of Online Safety

Australia plans to amend the Online Safety Act to enforce a 'Digital Duty of Care,' requiring social media platforms to prevent online harms such as bullying and predatory behavior. The legislation aims to make tech companies legally responsible for ensuring user safety and mitigating potential risks.

Australia is set to make social media platforms legally accountable for reducing online harm, according to a government statement on Thursday. This initiative, dubbed the 'Digital Duty of Care,' seeks to curb issues like bullying and predatory behavior by placing the onus on tech companies to safeguard users proactively.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced that these proposed amendments to the Online Safety Act, expected to be introduced in Parliament next week, would also prohibit children under 16 from joining platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The legislation is inspired by similar measures in Britain and the European Union.

Critics worry that the removal of children from social media reduces the incentive for platforms to offer safer environments, yet supporters believe the Digital Duty of Care will compel companies to continuously assess and mitigate risks, ensuring safety by design.

(With inputs from agencies.)