Australia: Online industry submitted Social Media Services Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) to eSafety Commissioner for review

On 28 February 2025, the Social Media Services Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) under the Online Safety Act 2021 was submitted to the eSafety Commissioner for review. The Code was developed by the Australian online industry, including the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), Communications Alliance, Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA), Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), and Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA). It would set out mandatory and optional compliance measures for social media service providers, categorised according to their risk profile (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3), to reduce exposure to Class 1C and Class 2 material, including high-impact online pornography, self-harm material, simulated gambling content, and extremely violent content. The Code would require providers to conduct risk assessments based on their platform's functionality and user base to determine appropriate compliance obligations. Mandatory measures include age verification, risk-based content moderation, enforcement measures, and trust and safety oversight to prevent the distribution and storage of harmful material, applied based on a service's risk profile. Tier 1 and Tier 2 services would have to conduct risk assessments and implement compliance measures, including age verification, access controls, content moderation policies, and reporting mechanisms, to reduce the risk of Australian children accessing high-risk online pornography and self-harm material. The eSafety Commissioner will now assess whether the codes provide sufficient safeguards for the community and, if deemed inadequate, may impose enforceable standards in their place.