Australia: Online industry submitted final draft Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) to eSafety Commissioner for review

On 20 May 2025, the final draft of the Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) under the Online Safety Act 2021 was submitted to the eSafety Commissioner for review. This follows the eSafety Commissioner's letter to industry in April 2025, reinforcing concerns about multiple drafts of online safety codes submitted since October 2024. 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 applies to manufacturers, suppliers, maintenance and installation providers, and operating system (OS) providers of hardware used by Australian end-users for online services. The Code would categorise equipment into interactive (Tier 1), secondary (Tier 2), non-interactive (Tier 3), and other interactive equipment, and it would set out compliance measures based on these classifications. Equipment and OS vendors would have to implement default security settings, content filtering tools, and parental controls while providing security information and mechanisms for reporting complaints. Providers would also have to cooperate with eSafety authorities, provide compliance reports upon request, and communicate significant technological changes that may impact online safety. The eSafety Commissioner will now assess whether the Code provides sufficient safeguards for the community and, if deemed inadequate, may impose enforceable standards in their place.