Australia: Issued Transparency Report as Result of Reporting Notices Issued to Online Platforms to Disclose Implementation of Basic Online Safe Expectiations

On 15 December 2022, the eSafety Commissioner of Australia published a transparency report summarising the results of the 7 reporting notices received from Apple, Meta, WhatsApp, Microsoft, Skype, Snap and Omegle. These companies were required to disclose their strategies addressing online child sexual exploitation and report the actions taken to limit the distribution of illegal content. In their report, the companies have to demonstrate their compliance with the Basic Online Safety Expectations outlined in the Online Safety Act 2021. The Safety Expectations include the obligations of online platforms, including minimising illegal and harmful content and protecting children from exposure to inappropriate content. While most companies have made an effort to limit online child sexual exploitation material, the efforts taken by the companies are still not far enough. Finally, further reporting notices are expected for 2023, providing eSafety with additional insights on the matter.