US Warns Australia’s Digital Duty of Care Law Risks ‘Viewpoint-Based Censorship’

The United States has issued a formal warning to Australia regarding its proposed digital duty of care laws. The U.S. government expressed serious concerns that the legislation could enable censorship by empowering the government to enforce vague definitions of ‘harm.’ This risks incentivizing platforms to over-moderate protected speech to avoid penalties.

• The U.S. has warned Australia that its proposed digital duty of care laws may lead to censorship.
• The U.S. government cited concerns about speech and platform design in the legislation.
• A framework enforcing vague ‘harm’ definitions risks becoming a censorship tool for viewpoints.
• The U.S. government stated that preserving free, open internet and freedom of expression are top priorities.