AHISA SUBMISSION

Department of Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts

19 February 2021

Review of Australia’s online safety legislation

AHISA’s submission, directed to the Hon Paul Fletcher, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, supported enhancement of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and further empowerment of the Commissioner to determine, for example, whether particular online content requires take down action without referral to the Classification Board and to address harmful content wherever it is posted. AHISA also supported:
• Creation of a new Online Safety Act as a single legislative instrument covering separate component of the online safety regulatory framework
• Encouragement or regulation of digital product and service providers to ensure products and services marketed to children default to the most restrictive privacy and safety settings at initial use or set up
• Updating of current industry code arrangements to require service providers to use the best available technology to prevent children’s access to harmful content, and make available to consumers information relating to opt-in tools and services to support their self-management of online safety.

Review of Australia’s online safety legislation – FULL SUBMISSION