Australia Reveals Plans to Curb Access Harmful Technologies

(MENAFN) The Australian government unveiled plans Tuesday to curb access to harmful digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools that produce sexually explicit deepfakes, amid rising concerns over online abuse and child exploitation.

Communications Minister Anika Wells announced that the government would collaborate with the tech industry to limit the availability of covert surveillance tools and AI apps that can generate explicit, non-consensual content.

"There is a place for AI and legitimate tracking technology in Australia, but there is no place for apps and technologies that are used solely to abuse, humiliate and harm people, especially our children," Wells said in a statement.

"This is too important for us not to act. Abusive technologies are widely and easily accessible and are causing real and irreparable damage now."

The forthcoming measures will supplement existing legislation that criminalizes stalking and the unauthorized sharing of explicit images. Similar to Australia’s recently announced ban on social media use for children under 16 — set to take effect in December — the proposed reforms will require tech companies to take primary responsibility for restricting access to abusive digital tools.

The urgency of the move follows alarming data released by the federal government’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, who stated in June that the number of reported incidents involving digitally manipulated intimate images of minors had doubled in just 18 months — surpassing the combined total from the previous seven years.

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