Australia: Online industry submitted Designated Internet 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), the Communications Alliance, the Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA), the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) and the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA). It sets out compliance measures for online platforms in Australia, focusing on minimising children's exposure to high-impact online pornography and self-harm material by categorising services into risk levels (Tier 1, 2 and 3) and requiring providers to assess and mitigate these risks. A Designated Internet Service (DIS) under the Online Safety Act refers to an online service that provides access to or delivers material via an Internet carriage service, excluding social media services, relevant electronic services, on-demand programme services, services specified by the Minister and exempt services where no material is accessible to Australian end users. DIS would be required to implement age verification, content moderation and reporting mechanisms to enhance user safety. Compliance obligations vary by service type and risk level, with specific measures for enterprise services and classified content platforms. DIS providers must also ensure transparency by reporting their compliance efforts to eSafety. The eSafety Commissioner will now assess whether the Code provides adequate safeguards for the community and, if deemed insufficient, may impose enforceable standards in its place.