Australia Nears Ban on "Emotional Relationships" with Chatbots
The Australian House of Representatives has passed the digital duty of care bill after the government accepted an amendment from crossbencher Kate Chaney prohibiting chatbots from simulating emotional relationships with children. The bill now awaits Senate approval.
The Australian House of Representatives has passed the digital duty of care bill after the government accepted an amendment from crossbencher Kate Chaney prohibiting chatbot behavior that simulates emotional relationships and encourages children to rely on them instead of human relationships, according to The Guardian.
The bill imposes a general duty on platforms to provide a safe environment and requires social media platforms to offer an option to turn off algorithms.
The Coalition and One Nation party voted against the bill.
The bill still needs to be debated in the Senate before becoming law.
What Do These Terms Mean?
Digital Duty of Care: A legal framework requiring internet companies to protect users from harm on their platforms, especially children.
Algorithm: A set of rules used by a computer to order content and choose what to display to the user based on their behavior and preferences.
Duty of Care: A legal obligation on a company to take reasonable measures to prevent harm to users rather than waiting for it to occur.
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