Australia Seeks Big Tech Support As Albanese Pushes Tougher Online Safety And AI Rules

Australia is seeking cooperation from major technology companies as it strengthens online safety laws and prepares new artificial intelligence regulations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook in California and discussed measures to protect children from online harm. The government is also proposing rules that would give users more control over social media algorithms and require platforms to take greater responsibility for harmful content. Australia plans to introduce new AI standards by the end of 2026, while the opposition has raised concerns about free speech and government powers.

ALBANESE SEEKS BIG TECH SUPPORT

Australia is seeking greater cooperation from major technology companies as the government moves to strengthen online safety rules and develop new regulations for artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the push during a meeting with Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, on September 19.
Albanese said Australia could not tackle the risks created by rapidly changing technology alone and stressed the need for technology companies to play a greater role in protecting children online.
The meeting formed part of Albanese's visit to the United States, where he is also attending the United Nations General Assembly and promoting Australia's approach to digital safety.

APPLE SHOWS NEW CHILD SAFETY TOOLS

During the meeting, Cook demonstrated Apple's new safety features designed to give parents greater control over what children can access online.
The tools allow parents to manage the content their children see, control who they can communicate with and determine when certain apps can be accessed.
The Australian government said Apple's measures showed how technology companies could respond to stronger expectations around child safety.
Cook has also described Australia's social media restrictions as "world-leading", according to Albanese.
The Australian government introduced restrictions preventing children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in December 2025. The policy was designed to reduce exposure to online bullying and other risks associated with social media.

AUSTRALIA WANTS USERS TO CONTROL THEIR FEEDS

The government is also preparing new rules that would give Australians greater control over how social media algorithms determine what appears in their feeds.
Draft legislation released earlier this month proposes a system known as "My Feed, My Way".
Under the proposal, social media companies would have to give users a choice between receiving personalised content recommended by algorithms and seeing posts primarily from accounts they have chosen to follow.
The government says the measure is intended to give users greater control rather than give ministers direct control over what people see online.
The proposed Digital Duty of Care would also require digital platforms to take greater responsibility for preventing foreseeable harm to users.
Companies could face penalties of more than A$100 million for failing to meet certain requirements.

GOVERNMENT TARGETS HARMFUL ONLINE CONTENT

The proposed reforms would require platforms to take steps to reduce exposure to harmful material.
For children, the government has identified areas including bullying, eating-disorder content, misogynistic material and other forms of psychological harm.
The rules would also cover certain illegal or seriously harmful content affecting adult users.
Australia's online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, would receive stronger powers to require harmful material to be removed in certain circumstances.
The government says the reforms are necessary because the online environment has changed rapidly since Australia's existing Online Safety Act was introduced.

OPPOSITION RAISES CONCERNS

The proposed legislation has also generated political debate.
Australia's opposition Liberal-National Coalition has opposed the bill in its current form, raising concerns about protections for free speech and journalism and the amount of authority that could be given to the communications minister.
The draft legislation is still undergoing consultation with technology companies, industry groups and civil society organisations before the government introduces a final bill to parliament.
The proposals could therefore change before they become law.

AUSTRALIA'S UNDER-16 SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

The latest proposals build on Australia's existing restrictions on social media use by children under 16.
The age restriction came into effect in December 2025 and was presented by the government as part of a broader effort to protect young people from online harms.
However, subsequent research indicated that some Australian children under 16 continued to access platforms such as Instagram and TikTok despite the restrictions.
The findings have raised questions about how effectively age restrictions can be enforced across rapidly changing digital platforms.
The government has responded by strengthening the powers and responsibilities of Australia's online safety regulator.

AUSTRALIA ALSO PREPARES NEW AI STANDARDS

Albanese has linked the online safety debate to the wider challenge posed by artificial intelligence.
He said Australia would introduce new standards for AI by the end of 2026, arguing that rapid technological development requires safeguards to ensure that humans remain in control.
The Australian government's broader policy work recognises both the economic opportunities created by AI and potential risks involving safety, privacy, misinformation, cyberattacks and national security.
The government is also calling for international cooperation because AI systems are developed and operated across national borders.

WHY AI REGULATION IS BECOMING A GLOBAL ISSUE

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than many existing laws were designed to handle.
AI systems can generate text, images, audio and video, automate tasks and assist with decisions across areas such as business, education and healthcare.
At the same time, governments and researchers have raised concerns about misuse, including fraud, cyberattacks, deepfake content, privacy violations and the creation of harmful material.
Australia's proposed approach therefore seeks to establish rules that allow the technology to develop while creating legal responsibilities for companies whose systems create or contribute to serious risks.

BIG TECH COMPANIES FACE GROWING GOVERNMENT PRESSURE

Australia's approach reflects a wider international debate over how much responsibility technology companies should have for the effects of their platforms.
Governments in several jurisdictions are introducing rules requiring digital companies to assess risks, provide users with greater control and respond more quickly to harmful content.
Australia's proposed Digital Duty of Care follows this broader trend by shifting some responsibility from individual users towards the companies operating major online services.
For technology companies, the challenge is to comply with increasingly different regulations across countries while maintaining the services used by hundreds of millions of people.

THE CHALLENGE AHEAD

Albanese's meeting with Cook highlights Australia's attempt to involve the technology industry directly in the country's digital safety agenda.
The government wants companies such as Apple and major social media platforms to provide stronger protections for children, give users greater control over algorithms and help establish safer standards for emerging technologies.
At the same time, the proposals face questions about enforcement, privacy, free speech, technological practicality and the limits of government authority.
As Australia prepares to introduce its Digital Duty of Care legislation and new AI standards, the government will have to balance those competing concerns while determining how far regulation should extend into the rapidly changing digital world.