2026-09-08
The Greens welcome the release of an exposure draft of the digital duty of care legislation but warn there is still work to do to get it right. The Greens have long campaigned for serious reform that holds big tech to account for the harm that can be caused by their platforms.
With the Coalition and One Nation running scare campaigns on this bill, the Greens are the most likely pathway for the Government to pass this legislation.
Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for Communications, Senator Sarah Hanson Young:
“The Greens have always been up for the fight to take on big tech. Today’s announcement from the Government is an important step forward but they have more work to do to get this right.
“We need laws that protect people from the profiteering of big tech, give people choice and protect their safety.
“It’s time to end the “doom scroll” and give every Australian a safe experience online without the big tech’s dangerous and addictive technology dictating what is in our feeds.
“The Greens have been calling for a digital duty of care because we knew that the Government’s social media ban wouldn’t work. We were right.
“Despite the social media ban, 80% of young people are still online and the platforms have done nothing to make it safer for children or for anyone.
“Every Australian deserves to be safe online. Big tech algorithms should not be able to use addictive technology to push toxic content to users of any age with impunity.
“This is an exposure draft that has been put out for consultation and we will work through the details and be pushing for improvements before the bill hits the parliament.
“We won’t be put off by ridiculous scare campaigns by One Nation or Angus Taylor and their confected outrage that this is an attack on freedom of speech.
“A proper duty of care bill will put in place legal responsibilities to actually protect young people online and will put a stop to big tech manipulating their emotions and insecurities in the name of profit.
“Big tech companies are some of the richest and most powerful companies in the world. For them to take these laws seriously, there needs to be serious penalties that impact their bottom line.
“This reform is about giving Australians freedom to choose what they see on their social media platforms and freedom from the manipulative and insidious tactics of big tech.
“It is well past time that our Government took this seriously and put in place laws to hold big tech to account and we will hold this Government’s feet to the fire to get a robust duty of care bill that works."