Teens could be locked out of Gmail under safety bill, Google warns

Sydney, November 9 - Concerns have been raised that a new Australian internet safety bill could prevent under-18s from accessing Gmail, a policy head at Google revealed at a Senate hearing. The Digital Duty of Care legislation, which has already cleared the House of Representatives but requires cross-party support from the Senate, would mandate internet companies to demonstrate they are tackling harmful content or face fines of up to A$109 million.

Online platforms and advocates of free speech have cautioned that the law could grant regulators excessive power to label content as harmful, potentially prompting platforms to remove content. According to Rachel Lord, Google's policy head in Australia and New Zealand, the requirement for age verification in cases where children might come across pornography could force Google to restrict access to various everyday communication services, including email and private file storage.

This could entail intrusive monitoring within private communications. Similar concerns were echoed by representatives from Meta, TikTok, and Snap, who warned the bill could stifle online interactions by granting regulators broad discretion to define harmful content while potentially replacing some existing industry standards. Some argue this uncertainty could push platforms to over-moderate content to prevent hefty fines.

The government maintains that comprehensive regulations are the sole means to ensure a secure internet.