10 November 2026 – Equality Australia is calling on the Federal Government to strengthen its Digital Duty of Care Bill, warning that online safety cannot be left to individuals to manage while powerful digital platforms profit from content that creates and amplifies harm.
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown, who appeared before the Senate inquiry on Tuesday, welcomed the introduction of a duty of care but said digital platforms must also be held responsible for a broader range of online harms, including targeted attacks on LGBTIQ+ people and other communities impacted by hate.
“A law designed to make the internet safer will fall short if it fails to address the vilification and dehumanisation of LGBTIQ+ people, who are routinely targeted by hate and abuse,” she said.
“Digital platforms have enormous power over what people see online and they should be required to take meaningful steps to prevent and reduce serious harm, including homophobic and transphobic abuse.”
Ms Brown said the Bill risked setting expectations too low for platforms already failing to address harmful content.
“Social media companies are already failing to adequately moderate harmful content, and some have openly stepped back from tackling it. The law must not give them another reason to do less,” she said.
“While we welcome the Bill’s recognition of gender-based violence as an online safety risk, it needs to be clearer how these protections will apply to all LGBTIQ+ people and the Bill should be strengthened to address hate more broadly.
“Online hate targeting our communities is often driven by the same harmful attitudes about gender, sexuality and how people should live their lives.”
Equality Australia gave evidence at the inquiry of the type of hate experienced by LGBTIQ+ people online, including posts that:
- Dehumanise or threaten LGBTIQ+ people
- Promote harmful stereotypes
- Demonise and vilify trans people
Ms Brown said the government needed to strike the right balance between tackling serious harm and protecting legitimate expression, including ensuring that people can still access the information they need about sexuality, gender identity, sexual health or relationships.
“We need a sensible middle ground,” she said.
“We want to work constructively with the Federal Government and across the parliament to get this legislation right. That means clear obligations on digital platforms, meaningful safeguards against targeted harm and protections for legitimate expression.”
Link to submission:https://equalityaustralia.org.au/resources/submission-strengthening-the-duty-of-care-bill/
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Equality Australia Tara Ravens: 0408 898 154
