Australia: Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) enters into force

On 9 March 2026, the Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material) under the Online Safety Act 2021 enters into force. The Code applies to hardware intended for Australian end-users and establishes obligations for manufacturers, suppliers, maintenance and installation providers, and operating system providers. It covers devices connected to social media, electronic services, designated internet services, and internet carriage services. The framework defines categories of devices, including interactive, secondary, non-interactive, gaming, and other interactive devices, reflecting different levels of risk in relation to exposure to harmful online material. Under the Code, equipment providers are responsible for manufacturing, importing, distributing, installing, and maintaining devices, while operating system providers control the software that determines user features and settings. Both groups are required to support online safety, even though they are not content providers. The Code introduces compliance obligations such as enabling child and restricted accounts with default protections against pornography and unsolicited contact, which can only be adjusted through linked adult accounts. Operating system providers must also supply tools for blocking websites, filtering apps, restricting contacts, and detecting nudity, while ensuring protections extend across their own services. Manufacturers of devices such as gaming consoles and smart TVs must implement parental controls and provide clear guidance on safe use. Suppliers, maintenance providers, and installers must give users plain language information about available safety settings at the point of sale or on request. Operating system providers are required to improve protections over time, invest in research, and refine technical solutions. All providers must employ trust and safety staff, maintain simple complaints mechanisms, and inform users of their right to escalate unresolved complaints to the eSafety Commissioner. They must also cooperate with investigations to ensure that the measures remain effective in reducing risks to Australian children online.