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The Australian government is revising its digital duty of care bill to remove ministerial powers to define 'harmful' content. The legislation aims to shift safety responsibilities from users to social media companies.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in how governments regulate online safety and platform accountability.
Anika Wells will introduce the government’s digital duty of care bill into the parliament today, with all eyes on what amendments Labor may have made to the initial draft bill.
The communications minister has confirmed the government will drop its earlier plans for her office to have broad rule-making powers to define what content is classed as “harmful”.
According to excerpts of her National Press Club speech, to be delivered at 12.30pm today, Wells will say:
double quotation mark In response to concerns we heard during the exposure draft consultation and to make this abundantly clear, we have removed the ministerial rule-making power to define new harms in the final bill.
Instead, new “harms” will be added by parliament through legislative amendment.
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