Australia Initiates Drafting Industry Standards to Tackle Online Child Abuse Material and Pro-Terror Content
The eSafety Commissioner of Australia has taken an initiative to draft industry standards to urge major technology companies to take action against online child abuse material and “pro-terror content.” These companies include Meta, Apple, and Google. The proposed standards are open for public consultation and are awaiting parliamentary approval. They cover designated internet services such as apps, websites, and file storage services, as well as relevant electronic services, including messaging services, online dating services, and gaming.
The draft standards address challenges posed by “synthetic” child sexual abuse material and pro-terror content generated through open-source software and generative AI. These efforts are part of the Online Safety Act, which Australia initiated in the previous year. Industry associations were initially entrusted with formulating enforceable codes for eight sectors of the online industry. While six draft codes received approval earlier, the remaining two fell short of providing adequate safeguards. As a result, the eSafety Commissioner is now focusing on developing standards.
The newly developed standards encompass a range of obligations, from proactive measures for detecting and deterring unlawful content to processes for handling reports and complaints. They also include tools and information aimed at empowering end-users to enhance online safety and reduce the risk of harmful content online.
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, urged industry stakeholders to participate in the consultation process, emphasizing the significance of these standards in addressing child sexual abuse material and pro-terror content. She clarified that the standards do not mandate companies to compromise end-to-end encryption or introduce systematic vulnerabilities in their encrypted services. However, operating an end-to-end encrypted service does not absolve companies of responsibility, and the standards aim to ensure that meaningful steps are taken to curb the proliferation of seriously harmful content, particularly child sexual abuse material.
All submissions received during the consultation process will be reviewed by the eSafety Commissioner to prepare the final versions of the standards for presentation in Parliament. The proposed timeline suggests that the standards would come into force six months after their registration. The industry codes and standards come with enforcement powers that the eSafety Commissioner will utilize as needed to ensure compliance. All stakeholders are encouraged to thoroughly review the discussion paper and accompanying fact sheets before preparing their submissions.
