Politics · Australia · 5 hrs ago
Senate inquiry could delay Australian online safety laws
The Coalition and Greens want a Senate inquiry into Labor’s online safety bill in Australia, which could delay its passage.
The proposed laws would let users switch off social media algorithms and sue platforms for online harm.
The government’s draft also proposes fines of up to $109.2 million for companies that break the rules.
The Greens want higher penalties, tied to 10 per cent of platforms’ global revenue, and the right for individuals to sue.
The Coalition says the bill risks political censorship and has largely ruled out negotiating on it.
Both parties say the inquiry should report before the end of the year, though a final date has not been set.
Meanwhile, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young plans to meet Meta’s global safety chief to urge the company not to livestream an execution in the United States.
The Coalition and the Greens plan to seek a Senate inquiry into Labor’s digital duty of care bill, which could delay Australia’s proposed online safety protections.
The bill would let users switch off social media algorithms and sue platforms for harm experienced online.
The Coalition says the bill is flawed and argues it would enable political censorship.
The Greens support an inquiry and want stronger penalties and the right for individuals to sue platforms.
Both parties say the inquiry should report by the end of the year, but no final reporting date has been confirmed.
- Who
- The Coalition and the Greens plan to seek a Senate inquiry into Labor’s digital duty of care bill.
- What
- The inquiry could delay proposed online safety laws, including measures on algorithms and suing platforms for harm.
- When
- The parties confirmed their plans on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. A Senate vote was expected on Wednesday.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- The Coalition says the bill is flawed and risks political censorship; the Greens want the laws examined to ensure they work and protect people.
The Coalition
The Greens
The bill
The Coalition
The Coalition calls the bill deeply flawed and says it amounts to political censorship.
The Greens
The Greens support an inquiry and want a digital duty of care law that keeps people safe from harmful algorithms.
The bill’s direction
The Coalition
The Coalition argues the bill should be abandoned.
The Greens
The Greens want stronger penalties and would allow individuals to sue platforms for online harm.
The government released an exposure draft proposing penalties of $109.2 million for corporations that violate the online safety rules.
Sarah Hanson-Young and Sarah Henderson confirmed their parties would seek a Senate inquiry into the bill.
The Senate was expected to vote on whether to support the inquiry.
Meta global safety head Antigone Davis was set to travel to Australia to meet Hanson-Young.
- Proposed corporate penalty
- $109.2 million
- Greens’ proposed penalty
- 10 per cent of platforms’ global revenue
- Coalition’s requested inquiry report date
- November 24
- Meta platforms named
- Facebook and Instagram
What people are saying
The inquiry will be a crucial opportunity to examine Labor’s insidious agenda to control what you say and see online
We want digital duty of care that has teeth and will actually keep people safe from big tech’s toxic algorithms
There must be proper penalties and consequences for social media companies that profit off harm online.
We are open to an inquiry that reports to the Senate before the end of the year.
Sources
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