Tech firms and telcos that fail to protect kids from harmful material like self-harm instructions, fetish porn and violence could be hit with massive fines under an industry proposal.
New codes sent to the eSafety Commissioner for approval would strengthen online safety laws by attempting to restrict children’s access to disturbing content.
A $50 million fine could be applied for any breaches of laws, building on a series of separate agreements in 2023 to cover the most extreme material, including child exploitation and pro-terror content.
The latest enforceable codes would cover social media, messaging, search engine and app distribution services.
The wide-sweeping proposal would also apply to internet and hosting service providers, along with manufacturers and suppliers of any equipment that connects to the internet, including smart devices and computers.
They would also cover operators of all websites that can be accessed by Australian users.
If the codes are approved by the commissioner, companies will have six months to implement the measures.
Jennifer Duxbury from the Digital Industry Group said children being exposed to dangerous online content was a social problem that needed to be regulated.
The group is one of the industry associations behind the codes and its members include the main social media platforms and other tech giants like Apple, Google and Microsoft.
“Children should be protected from exposure to pornography and material that encourages harmful behaviours such as instruction for eating disorders, suicide and self-harm,” Dr Duxbury said.
“That’s why the technology industry is working together to strengthen safety measures and ensure that children can navigate online spaces in a secure and supportive way.”
The publication of the proposed codes on Monday comes as research shines a light on the exposure of Australian children to other potentially harmful interactions online.
A study by Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Human Mobile Devices published on Monday surveyed 12,000 children aged between eight and 15 across five countries, including Australia, about their online habits.
It found that almost half of Australian children (43 per cent) have been regularly contacted online by strangers and more than one-fifth have had a stranger try to lure them into an encrypted chat.
More than half of the children surveyed also reported being bullied or made to feel small on social media or messaging apps.
Globally, children are spending as much time on their phones daily as they are in school.
“This data is a major wake-up call for everyone concerned about the wellbeing of Australian children, not just parents and government but also the technology industry,” Human Mobile Device’s Brenden Folitarik said.
“It’s going to need to be a team effort to turn this around.”
In December, a world-first ban on social media for people younger than 16 was signed off by federal parliament.
The laws will come into effect in late 2025 and cover platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Farid Farid
(Australian Associated Press)