Australian PM seeks big tech backing for internet safety, AI rules

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seeking assistance from major technology companies to bolster Australia's child online safety laws and establish stricter regulations for AI, following a meeting with former Apple CEO Tim Cook in California. Albanese emphasized that Australia cannot tackle these issues independently, as protecting children from internet dangers and regulating AI require collaboration.

Speaking to the social media platform X, Cook disclosed that he shared with Albanese new "strong and intuitive controls" intended to safeguard kids online. In response to Australia's recent legislation barring under-16s from social media platforms, a world-first initiative aiming to shield children from online bullying and manipulative algorithms, Albanese stated that new draft laws would be introduced to parliament later this year, pending consultations with social media firms, industry bodies, and civil society groups.

These proposed regulations would impose a "duty of care" on platform operators like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, and allow users to deactivate algorithms if desired. Recent data indicated that under-16s in Australia are relying more on social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, despite the age restriction. Albanese, currently in the US for the upcoming UN General Assembly, also advocated for more stringent AI regulations, warning of the potential for artificial intelligence to operate beyond human control.

He told national broadcaster ABC, "The risk is that AI develops in a way in which humans are no longer in control of what AI is producing. How do we ensure that people remain in control rather than the technology controlling us?"