Google warns proposed Australian law could affect under-18s’ access to Gmail

Technology · First reported 9 Nov, 05:48 · Updated 06:28

Image: Wikimedia Commons · Ysherazi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Google told an Australian Senate hearing that a proposed online safety law could require age checks that might block under-18s from services including email. The bill would require online companies to address harmful content, with penalties of up to A$109 million; the government says broad rules are needed for a safe internet.

Google policy head Rachel Lord said age checks tied to risks involving pornography could extend to everyday services such as email, messaging and private file storage.
The bill has passed Australia’s House of Representatives and still needs cross-party support in the Senate; companies that fail to address harmful content could face fines of up to A$109 million.
Meta, TikTok and Snap representatives also raised concerns about broad regulatory discretion and the possibility that platforms would remove too much content to avoid penalties.

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Key facts

Bill: Digital Duty of Care legislation.
Legislative status: Passed the House of Representatives; Senate passage still requires cross-party support.
Maximum fine: A$109 million.
Google representative: Rachel Lord, head of policy in Australia and New Zealand for YouTube.