Google Warns Under-18s Could Lose Gmail Access In Australia As Tech Giants Sue California

Google is warning that Australia's proposed internet safety legislation could have an unexpected consequence: teenagers losing access to Gmail.

While Australia considers extending online safety requirements beyond social media, Google, Meta, and TikTok are simultaneously challenging a separate California law restricting social media features for minors.

Here's what's happening.
 

TL;DR

 

• Google warns Australia's proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation could restrict Gmail and other communication services for users under 18.
• The Australian bill carries potential penalties of A$109 million ($75.1 million).
• Meanwhile, Meta, Google, and TikTok have sued California over a law restricting addictive social media features for users under 16.

 

Google's Warning Over Australia's Internet Safety Bill Raises Gmail Access Concerns

Google's concerns emerged during an Australian Senate hearing on November 9, where Rachel Lord, YouTube's head of policy for Australia and New Zealand, warned about the potential consequences of the proposed legislation.

Under Australia's proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation, internet companies would need to demonstrate that they are actively reducing harmful online content or risk penalties reaching A$109 million ($75.1 million).

However, the legislation's scope has raised concerns about services that aren't traditionally considered social media.

Lord explained that provisions requiring age verification where children risk encountering pornography could extend to everyday digital services, including email, messaging, and private file storage.

"We are talking about potentially intrusive monitoring within private communications or file storage," Lord said.

The bill has already cleared Australia's House of Representatives but still requires cross-party support in the Senate.

Representatives from Meta, TikTok, and Snap raised similar objections, arguing that giving regulators broad discretion over harmful content could encourage excessive moderation and interfere with online communication.

The Australian government maintains that comprehensive rules are necessary to create a safer internet.

Notably, this proposal differs from Australia's existing social media age restrictions, which have already resulted in hundreds of thousands of Facebook and Instagram account removals.

Yet Australia isn't alone in facing resistance from major technology companies.
 

 

Meta, Google, And TikTok Sue California Over Teen Social Media Restrictions

Across the Pacific, the debate has escalated into a legal confrontation.

Meta, Google, and TikTok have filed separate lawsuits against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, seeking to block Assembly Bill 1709 (AB 1709).

Signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2026, the legislation is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The law would prohibit social media platforms from providing autoplay videos and personalized feeds to users younger than 16. Companies would need to disable those features or delete affected accounts, potentially facing penalties of up to $50,000 per affected underage user for noncompliance.

The companies argue that these restrictions interfere with their ability to organize and recommend content, raising constitutional free-speech concerns. Their legal challenges also invoke Section 230.

Google has emphasized that YouTube already disables autoplay for minors by default and allows parents to restrict their teenagers' access to Shorts.

Meanwhile, digital rights advocates have warned that enforcing restrictions through age verification could require platforms to collect additional personal information, potentially affecting online anonymity.

California's attorney general's office has indicated that it is reviewing the lawsuits and intends to defend the state's child protection legislation.
 

 

Australia And California's Online Safety Laws Face Different Challenges

Both developments highlight an increasingly complicated question: how far should governments go to protect children online without limiting access to essential digital services?

Australia's legislation still needs Senate approval, meaning Gmail access for under-18s has not been restricted under the proposal. California's law, meanwhile, faces legal challenges before its scheduled implementation.

For technology companies and regulators, the challenge now extends beyond controlling harmful content to deciding where child safety protections end and digital privacy, free expression, and everyday internet access begin.