The U.S. embassy in Canberra criticized Australia’s proposed “digital duty of care,” which would compel online services — including social platforms, game companies and AI chatbots — to build products safe for users under 18 and permit Australian users to opt out of algorithmic recommendations. Washington urged Canberra to withdraw any requirement that would force platforms to suppress content based on government-defined, vague safety standards. The unusually sharp U.S. rebuke underscores rising

The U.S. embassy in Canberra criticized Australia’s proposed “digital duty of care,” which would compel online services — including social platforms, game companies and AI chatbots — to build products safe for users under 18 and permit Australian users to opt out of algorithmic recommendations. Washington urged Canberra to withdraw any requirement that would force platforms to suppress content based on government-defined, vague safety standards. The unusually sharp U.S. rebuke underscores rising bilateral friction as global regulators tighten rules on Meta and other tech firms and signals a new regulatory and compliance risk for platforms and AI services.