Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged the Senate to support Digital Duty of Care legislation, saying it would give users more influence over the material reaching their devices.
A transcript published by the Prime Minister of Australia on Thursday, Oct. 29, records Albanese saying the House of Representatives approved the measure on Oct. 28. He called for backing from the upper chamber. “It is vital that this get the support of the Senate,” he said at a Canberra press conference.
Albanese said algorithms used by technology companies based overseas shape the information people encounter on their devices. He portrayed the bill as a way to hold major technology firms responsible for material on their platforms. His remarks did not detail the duties or enforcement measures the legislation would establish.
He framed the proposal as a question of who has influence over online content, saying the aim was to give people “a greater role.” Albanese linked the measure to the government’s ban on social media accounts for people under 16 and said Parliament should help decide how technology affects society.
Albanese’s immediate request was for Senate support. The transcript did not identify a date for a Senate vote.
