Politics · Australia · 2 hrs ago
Groups urge Australia to let citizens sue tech firms over online hate
Jewish and Muslim groups want Australians to sue tech companies over failures to address online hate based on race or religion.
The proposal is part of debate over the Albanese government’s Digital Duty of Care Bill, which aims to make platforms safer.
The bill would require platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content, rather than ban individual posts or stop users from expressing views.
Labor is considering a private right to sue as it needs support from the Greens to pass the bill.
Google opposes adding that right, saying a dedicated safety regulator should enforce the duty and warning that lawsuits could burden courts.
The government wants to pass the bill by the end of the parliamentary year, while a parliamentary inquiry is due to hear evidence from Google on Monday.
Jewish and Muslim groups are urging the Australian government to let people sue technology companies over failures to address online hate based on race or religion.
The government is considering a private right of action as it seeks support for its Digital Duty of Care Bill.
The Greens want tougher rules, higher fines and the ability to bring class actions and lawsuits against technology firms.
Google opposes adding a private right of action, arguing that a dedicated safety regulator should enforce the duty.
The debate centres on how to address harmful online content while protecting freedom of expression.
- Who
- Jewish and Muslim groups are urging the Albanese government to act. The Greens support a private right of action, while Google opposes it.
- What
- The government is considering allowing citizens to sue technology companies over failures to police online hate.
- When
- The article was published on November 8, 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- Advocates say the bill should cover hate based on race, religion and other grounds. Google argues that enforcement should be handled by a dedicated safety regulator.
Advocates of a private right of action
Enforcement
Advocates of a private right of action
Advocates want citizens to be able to sue technology companies, including through class actions.
Google says a dedicated safety regulator should enforce the duty.
Scope of the bill
Advocates of a private right of action
Advocates want it to address hate based on race, religion and other grounds, not only gendered violence.
Google says any private right of action should follow further reforms and require a “serious harm” threshold.
Anika Wells said the government heard calls from digital rights, consumer rights and advocacy groups for a private right of action.
Anthony Albanese wants to pass the Digital Duty of Care Bill.
Google is due to provide evidence at a parliamentary inquiry into the bill.
- Bill
- Digital Duty of Care Bill
- Prime minister
- Anthony Albanese
- Greens senator
- Sarah Hanson-Young
- Google position
- Enforcement by a dedicated safety regulator
- eSafety complaints
- More than 100,000 in the last year, according to Josh Bornstein
What people are saying
It needs to address other forms of hate speech including racist and homophobic hate speech.
These rules are not about individual users at all or stopping people posting certain things
Compliance with the duty should be evaluated and enforced by a dedicated safety regulator
We’ll keep working that through in good faith.