Google says a proposed Australian online safety law could shut teenagers out of Gmail. A senior policy leader reportedly made the claim at a Senate hearing on Monday. Meta, TikTok and Snap also raised alarms.
Moreover, all four companies say the bill gives regulators too much power. The government disagrees. It says broad rules are the only way to build a safer internet.
Google fears new Aussie safety bill will affect user privacy
Rachel Lord leads policy in Australia and New Zealand for YouTube, which Google owns. She said one section of the bill worries the company most. That section requires age checks when a child could see pornography. In her view, it could force Google to verify ages and block everyday tools. She named email, messaging and private file storage.
“We are talking about potentially intrusive monitoring within private communications or file storage,” she added. Lord also said Google is concerned that the bill removes privacy as a factor companies must weigh.
The bill was introduced by the Communications Minister, Anika Wells, on October 15. Then on October 28, the House of Representatives adopted it. The government first released a draft on Sept. 8. It took public feedback until Sept. 22.
The bill would require online services to find and reduce risks to users. It covers social media, search engines, app stores, messaging services and AI chatbots. Companies would also have to write a risk assessment at least once a year.
Wells says the law would capture content that promotes misogyny, terrorism, suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. It would also bar AI chatbots from building “emotional intimacy” with children.
Firms that fall short could face fines up to A$109 million, or about US$75 million. The new duty would replace several existing industry codes. It would start 12 months after the bill becomes law.
How the age-check rule works
The disputed rule covers services where children could foreseeably reach pornography or fetish material. Those services must offer at least two ways to check a user’s age, where that is technically feasible and reasonably practicable. Unverified users must not reach the material.
Importantly, the bill does not order companies to block under-18s from a whole service. However, it does not specifically exempt email or messaging either. That gap is what worries Google. The company wants the rule limited to services whose main purpose is distributing pornography. A breach of this rule carries the same maximum fine as the wider duty.
Other tech firms push back against the safety bill
Meta, TikTok and Snap raised similar concerns. They argued that regulators would get broad power to decide what counts as harmful. As a result, platforms might remove too much content to avoid big fines. They also said the bill could chill online communication.
TikTok’s written submission said the minister and the eSafety Commissioner could decide not only what is safe, but also how services run. Snap asked for a duty built on reasonable, proportionate steps.
On the other hand, it should be mentioned that both firms acknowledged their support of the aim of the bill. The representatives of Meta company claimed that it was extremely difficult to modify the bill in order to make possible compensation claims.
At the same time, independent senator David Pocock addressed TikTok’s executives concerning the self-harm videos. TikTok’s Jessika Lofstedt rejected his claim and invited the committee to send examples.
Where the politics stand
The bill’s fate now rests with the Senate. The Coalition and One Nation voted against it in the House. Coalition leaders say it gives ministers too much discretion and threatens free speech. Critics have called it “Orwellian” censorship. Wells rejects that and says opponents should bring amendments instead.
The Greens, however, back the bill. They set up the Senate inquiry that held Monday’s hearing. They also want tougher penalties and a right for people to sue platforms. The government has suggested it will consider that idea.
Wells says she is open to more talks. Still, she wants the bill passed as intact as possible. She hopes to see it become law by the end of 2026. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls it the next step after Australia’s under-16 social media ban. That ban took effect in December 2025.
However, the ban has already faced questions about its effectiveness, with reports of teenagers finding loopholes to bypass Australia’s under-16 social media restrictions.
What’s next
For now, nothing changes for Gmail users. The bill is not law. Even if it passes, the rules would not start for a year. The Senate committee must report by Nov. 20. Lawmakers could then rewrite the age-check section. Google is pushing for exactly that. Whether senators agree will decide if the Gmail warning stays hypothetical.
