Australia Urged to Tighten Online Safety Laws to Protect Children from AI Risks

Melbourne — The Alannah & Madeline Foundation has called on Australia’s federal Parliament to strengthen proposed online safety laws, warning that children need greater protection from harmful digital services, including artificial intelligence chatbots and platforms that use their images and personal data.

The foundation wants Parliament to pass the updated Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026, arguing that technology companies must be legally responsible for preventing foreseeable harm rather than relying on voluntary industry rules.

“This is a landmark moment for Australia,” the foundation’s Director of Policy and Prevention, Ariana Kurzeme, said, urging lawmakers to make children’s safety a central consideration in how digital services are designed.

The proposed legislation would establish a stronger framework for government oversight and accountability, with the foundation arguing that regulators must have meaningful powers and penalties to ensure technology companies meet their obligations.

The organisation however says the Bill needs further changes to make children’s interests a primary consideration and strengthen safeguards against emerging online threats.

Consultations involving more than 800 children, young people, parents and carers informed the foundation’s recommendations, with participants calling for responsibility to rest with the services that create and control online risks.

“Making children’s best interests a primary consideration would ensure the Digital Duty of Care protects children’s safety, privacy, development, dignity and participation in practice, not just in principle,” Kurzeme said.

The foundation is also calling for mandatory child impact assessments to be included in risk assessments required under the legislation.

It wants the Bill to explicitly cover artificial intelligence chatbots, companion-style services, AI-initiated conduct and synthetic content, as well as the misuse of children’s images and personal data and risks associated with dependence on AI services.

“Children are already talking to chatbots and using AI in their daily lives. The law should leave no doubt that these services and related harms are covered,” Kurzeme said.

The organisation says safety features must also work effectively in practice, with children and parents needing reporting and control tools that are easy to locate, simple to use and reliable when users seek assistance.

The organisation further wants children, young people, parents and carers to have a meaningful role in shaping how the duty of care is established, implemented and assessed.

“Building their voices, and those of their parents and carers, into how the duty is set, applied and measured is the best way to make sure it delivers,” Kurzeme said.

The foundation’s intervention comes amid growing attention to how digital platforms and emerging technologies affect children’s safety and wellbeing.

Its position is that legal accountability must keep pace with the risks created by services that children increasingly use in their daily lives.

Founded 29 years ago by Walter Mikac AM and volunteers following the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy in Tasmania, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation works through care, prevention and advocacy programmes to protect children and young people from violence and trauma.

The foundation says its mission is to ensure all children and young people can live safe lives, free from violence and trauma.