Senate Begins Inquiry Into Digital Duty of Care

Senators heard evidence from experts and parents over two days on legislation that would regulate algorithms and AI tools to protect people from online harms.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Internet

Senate Begins Inquiry Into Digital Duty of Care

Live Poll

Should tech companies face $109 million fines for failing to protect users from online harms?

The Senate has opened an inquiry into the government's Digital Duty of Care legislation, which passed the House of Representatives in October without Coalition support. The bill would fine tech companies $109 million if they fail to mitigate risks.

Why it matters

The legislation would set obligations for technology companies over algorithms and AI tools used by Australians online. Its progress through the Senate will determine whether these duties become law.

The proposed penalty for failing to mitigate risks is $109 million per breach. The inquiry is running over two days of hearings, and the bill's final provisions remain unsettled pending its outcome.

The players

Senate

The upper house of the Australian Parliament, which is conducting the inquiry into the Digital Duty of Care legislation.

House of Representatives

The lower house of the Australian Parliament, which passed the Digital Duty of Care legislation in October.

The details

The Digital Duty of Care legislation would regulate algorithms and AI tools to protect people from online harms. It would ban nudify apps and give social media users the choice to opt in or out of algorithmic feeds.

October 2026: The House of Representatives passed the legislation without Coalition support.
9 November 2026: The Senate inquiry began with a two-day hearing.

Roadmap

The Digital Duty of Care legislation has moved from the House of Representatives to a Senate inquiry, which will test its provisions on algorithms and AI tools. The bill's proposed $109 million penalty and opt-in choice for algorithmic feeds set its central terms for review.

If passed, the legislation would give social media users the choice to opt in or out of algorithmic feeds. It would also ban nudify apps, changing what tools are available to people online.

The takeaway

The inquiry is the bill's main test before it can become law. Users should watch how the Senate treats the opt-in feed choice and the proposed ban on nudify apps.