Father of sextortion victim urges Senate to back online safety bill
Wayne Holdsworth testified at a Senate hearing. He urged lawmakers not to weaken protections against online harm to young people.
Wayne Holdsworth testified at the Senate hearing on Monday. The hearing covered the Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026.
His 17-year-old son Mac died by suicide in October 2023 after being targeted in a sextortion plot. Holdsworth urged senators not to weaken the bill, saying it must stay strong to protect other teenagers.
The bill makes social media companies keep users safe from harmful material. This includes extreme violence and pro-eating disorder content.
Companies that fail to follow the rules face fines up to $109 million. Online sexual extortion reports have jumped 41 per cent.
The eSafety Commissioner received over 9,000 image-based abuse reports. Communications Minister Anika Wells backed the bill.
She said the tech industry has acted like the Wild West for 20 years.
- 17, died October 2023
- Mac Holdsworth's age
- $109 million
- Maximum company fine
- 41 per cent increase
- Sextortion surge
- Over 9,000
- Image abuse reports
Why it mattersThe Senate vote decides whether social media companies will face legal responsibility for harm on their platforms or continue largely unregulated.
AustraliaAustralian teenagers and families would gain legal grounds to hold social media companies accountable for online harm if the bill passes the Senate intact.
