Australia: eSafety Commissioner published Online Safety Codes and Standards Regulatory Guidance

On 5 December 2025, the eSafety Commissioner published the Online Safety Codes and Standards Regulatory Guidance. The guidance is designed to assist service providers regulated by the Online Safety Codes and Standards, including the Unlawful Material Codes (1A and 1B), Unlawful Material Standards (1A and 1B), and Age-Restricted Material Codes (1C and 2). The guidance details a non-exhaustive list of services covered by the Codes and Standards, details which regulations apply to which sections of the online industry, and provides guidance on applying the codes relevant to each service. As some of the regulations differentiate based on risk level, the Guidance outlines which services require a risk assessment and what to do in special circumstances, such as when services do not clearly fall into a specified category. A similar structure outlines reporting requirements under each regulation. The Guidance also describes how the Online Safety Codes and Standards interact with other regulations and the eSafety Commissioner's approach to compliance assessment. Appendices provide additional detail on pre-assessed service categories, risk profiles and assessments, terminology, guidance for providers of generative AI services, and appropriate age assurance.