● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Australia to ban AI chatbots that simulate emotional intimacy with children
Key points
- Australian government proposes banning AI chatbots simulating emotional intimacy with children.
- Digital duty of care bill passed House of Representatives, moves to Senate.
- Legislation requires platforms to provide a safe online environment.
- Platforms must offer an opt-out for algorithmic content suggestions.
Proposed Ban on Emotionally Intimate AI
The Australian federal government plans to prohibit AI chatbots that cultivate "emotional intimacy" and dependence in children, replacing human relationships. This initiative follows concerns raised by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding children forming strong bonds with AI agents.
Digital Duty of Care Bill Progress
The digital duty of care bill has passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting debate in the Senate. The government aims for the bill to pass by the end of 2026. While the Greens support the bill, the Coalition has stated it will not vote for it, though Labor remains open to amendments to secure broader support.
New Online Safety Standards
This framework will apply new online safety standards to social media, games, apps, and chatbots. It establishes an overarching obligation for tech platforms to provide a safe online environment for Australians, replacing existing codes with a broader duty-of-care requirement to protect users from harmful content. Platforms will also need to offer an opt-out feature for their algorithms and suggested content.
Scope of Harmful Content
Communications Minister Anika Wells indicated the laws would cover content promoting misogyny, terrorism, suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. Amendments accepted from crossbencher Kate Chaney specifically added AI chatbot activity that simulates emotional intimacy and encourages a child's dependence on it to the list of prohibited harms.
Political Opposition and Debate
The opposition and One Nation voted against the bill in the House, with opponents accusing Labor of creating an "Orwellian" system of censorship. Minister Wells has denied these claims, stating the bill focuses on online safety.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Australia's proposed digital duty of care laws will ban AI chatbots that foster emotional intimacy and dependence in children. The legislation, which passed the House and moves to the Senate, aims to create a safer online environment by requiring platforms to protect users from harmful content and offer algorithm opt-outs.