The Labor government introduced the bill to prevent psychological harm and protect children from harmful online content, with Wells comparing the measure to seat belt laws. Australia is pursuing this strategy alongside the UK, France, and Spain. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant indicated she might issue an enforcement memo to clarify the use of these accounts, though such a document would not change the bill's statutory language.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Australia's New Safety Bill Permits Government Fake Accounts
Cybersecurity6 days ago
The Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026 empowers the eSafety Commissioner to maintain artificial profiles on social networking sites to monitor and manage digital safety. While Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that these "sock puppet" accounts are intended strictly for law enforcement, the text of the legislation allows the commissioner to use them for "educational" and "promotional" purposes.
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