The Australian government is moving to impose new restrictions on AI-powered chatbots, aiming to prevent them from simulating emotional relationships with children or encouraging reliance on them as an alternative to human connections, as part of a new bill to enhance digital safety and protect users from harmful online content.
This move follows warnings from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding children's increasing attachment to AI assistants, with some cases reaching the point where chatbots are considered close or best friends.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the Australian House of Representatives passed the digital duty of care bill on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, with the Senate scheduled to debate it in the following weeks, as the government seeks to pass it before the end of the year.
Banning Emotional Attachment to AI Chatbots
The bill includes amendments targeting the activities of AI chatbots. The government agreed to a proposal submitted by independent MP Kate Chaney, which requires platforms to ban content or behavior that simulates emotional intimacy and encourages children to rely on these bots instead of building real human relationships.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned in a speech on Tuesday evening about the danger of chatbots turning into virtual friends for children, considering reports of some users treating these systems as close confidants to be an alarm bell requiring legislative action.
The proposed restrictions are not limited to virtual emotional relationships, but also include content that promotes misogyny, terrorism, suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.
New Law to Impose Greater Responsibility on Digital Platforms
The bill aims to establish new online safety standards covering social media platforms, games, apps, and AI-powered chatbots.
Under the proposed framework, tech companies will bear a general responsibility to provide a safe digital environment for users in Australia, replacing a set of current rules and standards with broader requirements for a digital duty of care and protecting users from harmful content and behaviors.
The legislation also requires social media platforms to provide an option allowing users to turn off algorithms and automated content recommendations. This option must be clear, easy to use, and prominently placed within the platform, according to another amendment introduced by MP Kate Chaney and approved by the government.
Political Dispute Over Internet Censorship
Despite the bill's passage in the House of Representatives, the future of the legislation remains a subject of political dispute. The Greens supported the bill, while the opposition Coalition and One Nation party voted against it, accusing the government of seeking to censor online discussions and interfere with freedom of speech.
Communications Minister Anika Wells rejected these accusations, stressing that the government is willing to consider proposed amendments rather than settling for calls to scrap the bill.
The legislation is set to move to the Senate, where the Greens have launched an inquiry into its provisions, with a report due in late November. The party seeks to strengthen the law by granting Australians the right to take direct legal action against digital platforms, along with increasing penalties for non-compliant companies.
Demands to Establish an Independent Tech Watchdog
In parallel with the bill, pressure is mounting on the Australian government to establish an independent regulatory mechanism to receive user complaints regarding social media platforms and AI services.
Independent MP Sophie Scamps proposed expanding the powers of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman to include Big Tech companies. This would allow users to file complaints about hacked or inaccessible accounts, claim compensation in appropriate cases, as well as investigate violating practices and expose companies that fail to meet their responsibilities.
Although the government did not accept this amendment during the bill's debate in the House of Representatives, the Greens intend to push for its inclusion during negotiations in the Senate.
For her part, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert confirmed that her office has the necessary expertise to take on this task, noting that expanding its jurisdiction could be funded by the tech companies themselves, similar to funding mechanisms for regulatory bodies in other sectors.
She emphasized the need to provide an independent body that users can turn to when tech platforms fail to address their complaints, rather than relying on automated responses and escalation procedures that do not necessarily lead to actual solutions.
The Future of AI Regulation in Australia
The Australian legislative moves reflect a growing trend toward subjecting tech companies to clearer responsibilities regarding the impact of their services on users, especially children and groups most vulnerable to digital risks.
The challenge is not limited to curbing harmful content, but extends to the nature of human interaction with smart systems, and the boundaries that should be set to prevent chatbots from becoming a substitute for social and human relationships.
Senate debates in the coming period are expected to determine the final shape of the legislation, and its ability to strike a balance between protecting users, ensuring freedom of expression, and regulating the activities of tech companies.
