MELBOURNE: Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has raised concerns that the federal government’s proposed digital duty of care legislation could be exploited by major technology platforms due to its vague provisions regarding user consent algorithms.
Speaking on the live coverage of Australian politics, Hanson-Young highlighted that the current draft neither mandates an opt-in nor an opt-out framework for algorithmic transparency. She warned that this ambiguity creates loopholes that Big Tech companies could exploit through “malicious compliance” or active manipulation of the rules.
The senator argued that without tight regulations and closed gaps, technology firms would likely divert significant resources toward legal challenges aimed at circumventing the new laws.
Hanson-Young also criticized the penalty structure within the bill, stating that the proposed fines are insufficient to deter violations. She called for penalties to be tied to a percentage of global revenue, arguing that only financial hits that impact core earnings would serve as an effective deterrent.
Addressing political opposition, Hanson-Young disputed claims made by the opposition leader regarding the legislation, suggesting they either stem from a lack of engagement with the policy details or constitute deliberate misinformation.
Does the government actually have the technical expertise to define these vague algorithm provisions, or is this just performative politics?
Revenue-based fines are the only real deterrent. Current proposed amounts are basically a rounding error for Big Tech profits.