Australian online safety bill moves to Senate with limits on emotionally intimate AI chatbots

Australia's federal government is seeking to prohibit AI chatbots from simulating emotional intimacy with children, under a broader online safety bill that cleared the House of Representatives on Wednesday, The Guardian reports. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where its prospects remain uncertain.

What the bill would do

The digital duty of care framework would set new safety standards for social media, games, apps and chatbots. Rather than relying on a patchwork of existing codes, it would place a general obligation on platforms to keep users safe from certain harmful content. Communications minister Anika Wells has indicated that material promoting misogyny, terrorism, suicide, self-harm and eating disorders would be covered.

During the lower house debate, the government accepted two amendments from crossbencher Kate Chaney:

• Platforms would have to ban material or conduct that simulates emotional intimacy and encourages a child to depend on it instead of on human relationships.
• The required option to opt out of algorithmic and suggested content would have to be easy to use and prominently placed, addressing concerns that companies might hide such settings.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese had urged action in a speech the night before, pointing to accounts of people describing a chatbot as their best friend.

Senate hurdles and calls for a watchdog

The Greens back the bill, while the Coalition and One Nation voted against it, with critics describing it as censorship, a claim Wells rejected. The government hopes to pass the law by the end of 2026. A Greens-led Senate inquiry is due to report in late November, and the party wants stronger penalties and a right for individuals to take private legal action against platforms.

Pressure is also building for an external complaints body. Independent MP Sophie Scamps proposed expanding the telecommunications industry ombudsman's remit to cover big tech, allowing users to seek remedies, including compensation, for hacked or inaccessible accounts. Labor did not accept the change in the lower house, but the Greens plan to pursue it in the Senate. Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert said her office could take on the role, funded by the industry, warning that without it people risk being left with automated replies and escalation processes that "don't go anywhere".

What it means for technology users

For people who follow computing and the internet, the bill signals a shift toward making platforms responsible for the design of their services, including how AI companions interact with young users and how recommendation feeds can be switched off. Developers and site operators offering chatbots or social features to Australian audiences may need to review how their products handle dependence, harmful content and user complaints as the Senate debate continues.