Australia advances bill to limit chatbots replacing human relationships for children

Australia’s House of Representatives has passed a bill that would impose a digital duty of care on online platforms, including social media, games, apps and AI chatbots. The government has accepted an amendment targeting chatbots that encourage children to rely on them in place of human relationships, following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s warning about children treating chatbots as their best friends.

The proposed rules would require platforms to protect users from certain harmful material and let social media users opt out of algorithmic recommendations. The bill passed with support from Labor and the Greens, while the Coalition and One Nation opposed it; it now goes to the Senate, where an inquiry is due to report in late November. Greens and independent MPs are also pressing for stronger penalties and an external complaints route for users.