Consultation and cooperation
Working together is vital to building a safer online world, so eSafety engages and consults with a wide range of stakeholders to inform our strategy, programs and resources.
We also collaborate with governments, organisations, advocates, community groups and tech industry representatives within Australia and around the world to guide regulatory policy and amplify the impact of our work.
By tapping into this diverse experience and knowledge, we continue to develop a deep understanding of the online threats we know and prepare for the ones we know are coming.
Working with the online industry
eSafety works with online providers to enhance user protections and hold industry accountable for online safety.
Promoting best practices: Encouraging platforms to build safety features directly into their designs. Find out more about Safety by Design.
Supporting compliance: Helping providers to meet the Basic Online Safety Expectations and follow industry codes and standards. Find out more about compliance and enforcement.
Monitoring progress: Assessing how platforms address safety challenges and improve their policies over time. Find out more about transparency notices and responses.
Consulting on regulation: Demonstrating eSafety’s own transparency, inclusivity and accountability in regulatory policy design and decision-making.
Consultations
- Restricted access system: Specifying requirements for systems to limit access to age-inappropriate material.
- Age verification: Providing advice to government on privacy-preserving methods to confirm users’ ages and safeguard young Australians.
- Phase 1 Industry Codes and Industry Standards: Supporting industry-led development of – and consultation on – codes, and where such codes do not provide appropriate community safeguards, developing and consulting on standards for management of the most seriously harmful online content including material showing the sexual abuse of children and acts or terrorism.
- Phase 2 industry codes: Supporting industry-led development of – and consultation on – codes for preventing children under 18 from accessing or being exposed to age-inappropriate material such as pornography and content with themes of suicide, self-harm and serious illness including eating disorders – and for ensuring all other users are able to choose whether they want to interact with this type of content online.
- Safety by Design: Co-designing principles and tools that support industry to build safety protections into their products from the start.
Engaging with our stakeholders and communities
eSafety works with many groups and individuals to ensure diverse perspectives go into developing online safety regulation, frameworks, programs and resources.
The Digital Platform Regulators' Forum
The Digital Platform Regulators’ Forum (DP-REG) was formed to support a streamlined and cohesive approach to the regulation of digital platforms in Australia. eSafety is a member of DP-REG, along with:
- Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Submissions
We make submissions to external inquiries and consultations on a range of topics that intersect with our work. This allows our expertise to be considered by stakeholders in the development and review of policy and legislative activities and inquiries by government officials.
Research and evaluation
We conduct and support research with a diverse range of Australians, to ensure our programs and resources reflect their lived experiences and attitudes. We also evaluate the effectiveness of online safety interventions.
In addition, we engage with subject matter experts to develop our Tech trends and challenges position statements on new and emerging online safety issues.
Collaboration and co-design
Many groups help us to create relevant and inclusive resources and promote online safety throughout Australian communities.
They include:
- the eSafety Youth Council
- the eSafety Champions Network
- the National Online Safety Education Council
- Early Childhood Australia
- our Trusted eSafety Providers
- our grant recipients
- our First Nations partners
- our LGBTIQ+ learning lounge co-designers
- Sport Integrity Australia and other sports organisations
International engagement
Improving online safety requires a global effort, because online interaction is not confined by national borders.
eSafety is a founding member of the Global Online Safety Regulators Network, which includes independent regulators that are committed to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
We also take part in other international networks and forums to advocate for stronger online safety protections and to share information, best practice, expertise and experience.
A strategic priority for eSafety is developing stronger and closer relationships in the Indo-Pacific region, where we build regional capacity by helping to deliver online safety programs.
In addition, we provide a number of resources suitable for international audiences. These can be adapted to incorporate local hotline and helpline details.
Find out more about our international engagement.
Last updated: 20/12/2024