Australia Bans AI 'Emotional Intimacy' with Children

Australia's lower house has passed a digital duty of care bill that would bar chatbot material or conduct simulating emotional intimacy and fostering a child's dependence on it instead of human relationships. The bill now goes to the Senate, with the government hoping to pass it by the end of the year. It matters because it would be a first-of-its-kind design restriction on AI companions for children, though enforcement is tricky: dependence shows up mainly in engagement data held by the companies themselves.

• Hacker News (AI)2026-10-29 07:37