Key facts
- Google policy head Rachel Lord said the age-check section could require age assurance and blocking of everyday communication services.
- The bill sets a fine of up to A$109 million ($75.1 million) for companies failing to remove harmful content.
- Lord said the law could mean intrusive monitoring within private communications or file storage.
- Meta, TikTok and Snap representatives raised similar concerns, warning platforms could over-moderate to avoid penalties.
- The government said a broad set of rules is the only way to ensure a safe internet.
Google warned on November 9 that a proposed Australian internet law could force it to block under-18s from Gmail, as an Australia-based company policy head told a Senate hearing the draft regulation risks overreach.
Under the Digital Duty of Care legislation, which has passed Australia's House of Representatives but needs cross-party support to pass the Senate, internet companies must show they are taking steps to remove harmful content or face a fine of up to A$109 million ($75.1 million).
A section of the law requiring age checks where there is a risk of a child seeing pornography "could require us to age assure and block access to everyday communication services like messaging, email and private file storage", said Rachel Lord, head of policy in Australia and New Zealand for Google's YouTube streaming website. "We are talking about potentially intrusive monitoring within private communications or file storage," she added.
Online companies and free speech advocates say the law could give regulators too much discretion to decide what is harmful, placing pressure on platforms to take down content. Representatives from Meta, TikTok and Snap voiced similar concerns, warning the bill could chill online communications and that uncertainty created a risk platforms would over-moderate content to avoid large regulatory penalties.
The government has said a broad set of rules is the only way to ensure a safe internet. The hearing continues.