Google says a new Australian online safety bill could force it to limit Gmail for users under 18. Rachel Lord, the company's head of policy for Australia and New Zealand, issued the warning at a Senate hearing on Monday. She said the bill's age check rule is too wide and could reach everyday services.
The bill asks platforms to check ages when children could see porn. Lord said Google may then have to check the age of users across many of its services. These include email, messaging, and private file storage.
She warned that this could lead to close watching of personal messages and saved files. The goal is to keep children safe from harmful material. But the rules could end up touching tools that people use to talk in private.
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The bill is called the Digital Duty of Care. It has passed the House of Representatives. It now needs support in the Senate. It would make internet firms take reasonable steps to find and remove harmful content. Firms that fail could face fines of up to AUD 109 million, about USD 75.1 million.
Google is not alone. Meta, TikTok, and Snap also raised concerns. They said the bill gives regulators too much freedom to decide what counts as harmful. They also said it could replace the industry codes that exist today.
These companies stated that vague policies would lead to platforms removing more than is necessary, just to avoid any potential fines. This could restrict speech on the internet and reduce the availability of legitimate material. Free speech groups have expressed similar concerns. The government argues that general policies are required to ensure safety on the internet.
The hearings at the Senate are still ongoing. The final version of the legislation will be determined by negotiations and voting in the upper chamber.
If passed, the bill could change how large platforms verify users' ages, moderate content, and provide private services to millions of Australians. The main challenge is to balance child safety with users' ability to access everyday online services.