GoKawiilGoogle warns Australia's Digital Duty of Care bill could force Gmail age checks for under-18s
At a Senate hearing on November 9, Google's YouTube policy head Rachel Lord said Australia's proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation could require age verification for email, messaging and private file storage to limit minors' exposure to pornography. The bill has cleared the House of Representatives but still needs Senate approval, and carries potential penalties of up to AU$109.2 million for non-compliant companies. Meta, TikTok and Snap also objected, warning broad regulatory discretion could push platforms to over-remove content.