Responses to transparency notices
Online service providers are required to report on how they are implementing the Basic Online Safety Expectations set out by the Australian Government.
The Basic Online Safety Expectations (known as 'the Expectations') are intended to help keep Australians safe while using social media, messaging and gaming services, as well as other apps and websites.
Under section 56(2) of the Online Safety Act 2021 (the Act), eSafety can issue non-periodic reporting notices requiring online service providers to report on their compliance with the Expectations.
Under section 49(2) of the Act, eSafety can issue periodic notices requiring providers to report at regular intervals on their compliance with the Expectations.
Under section 20 of the Online Safety (Basic Online Safety Expectations) Determination, eSafety can request certain information from a provider by written notice and a provider is expected to comply with the request within 30 days after the notice of request is given.
eSafety can publish summaries of the information received through the notices, making these powers a world-leading tool for improving industry's transparency and accountability.
This page summarises the responses to notices given to providers:
- Non-periodic reporting notices relating to terrorist and violent extremist material and activity (TVE), given on 18 March 2024 to Google, Meta, WhatsApp, Reddit, Telegram and X Corp.
- Information requests related to children’s social media access and the safeguards in place to assess the age of users provided on 2 September 2024 to Discord, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch and Google (YouTube).
- Non-periodic reporting notice related to online hate on Twitter (subsequently rebranded as X) given on 21 June 2023
- Non-periodic reporting notices relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse given on 22 February 2023 to Google, Twitter (subsequently rebranded as X), TikTok, Twitch and Discord.
- Non-periodic reporting notices relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse given on 29 August 2022 to Apple, Microsoft, Skype, Meta, WhatsApp, Snap and Omegle.
Findings from transparency notices given in March 2024
This transparency report and key findings report summarise the responses Google, Meta, WhatsApp and Reddit gave to the non-periodic reporting notices, and the information Telegram provided, regarding the steps being taken to detect and address TVE on their services. Two providers, Reddit and Telegram, were also asked questions relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). The reports also summarise information received from Reddit and Telegram regarding the steps being taken to detect and address CSEA on their services.
Download the reports
Finding of non-compliance and action taken: Telegram
eSafety found that Telegram did not comply with the notice given to it on 18 March 2024. Telegram did not provide a report to the Commissioner in response to the notice by the deadline of 6 May 2024.
Telegram did not engage with eSafety during the notice period to seek any clarification that might have enabled compliance. eSafety advised Telegram that it had failed to provide a report in response to the notice.
eSafety subsequently received information from Telegram that was required by the notice, five months after the notice deadline.
In February 2025, Telegram was given an infringement notice for $957,780AUD for failing to respond to the notice by the deadline.
Matter before the Administrative Review Tribunal
Following receipt of the non-periodic reporting notice given to it in March 2024, X Corp. sought review in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (now the Administrative Review Tribunal) of eSafety’s decision to give X Corp. the Notice. This matter is ongoing.
Findings from information requests February 2025
This transparency report summarises the responses to the information requests given on 2 September 2024 to Discord, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch and Google (YouTube) in relation to children’s social media access and the safeguards in place to assess the age of users.
This research also draws on a subset of data from eSafety’s ‘Children and Social Media’ survey. The survey explored the use of social media and messaging services by children (including teens) since the beginning of 2024.
The survey was conducted in September 2024 with a nationally representative sample of 8 to 15-year-olds living in Australia. A total of 1,504 children participated in the survey, with most being 8 to 12-year-olds (1,049) and the rest being 13 to 15-year-olds (455). Further information about the survey is available on the Children and social media research page.
Download the report
Findings from transparency notice January 2024
This transparency report and key findings report summarise the response to the notice given to X Corp. in relation to online hate on Twitter (subsequently rebranded as X) given on 21 June 2023.
Download the report
Finding of non-compliance and action taken: X Corp.
X Corp. was required to respond by the deadline set by the Notice, including any extensions granted. eSafety also informed X Corp. that it could request an extension of time to enable it to comply with the Notice. Two extensions were granted to respond at X Corp.’s request.
eSafety found that X Corp. did not comply with the Notice by providing responses that were incorrect, significantly incomplete or irrelevant.
Subsequent information was provided by X Corp. after the Notice deadline that sought to rectify earlier omissions of information provided. eSafety took this into account in deciding upon the appropriate enforcement action.
eSafety has given a service provider notification to X Corp., to confirm its non-compliance by the Notice deadline and to deter it from future non-compliance.
Findings from transparency notices October 2023
This transparency report and key findings report summarise the responses to notices given to Google, Twitter (X), TikTok, Twitch and Discord regarding the steps being taken to detect and address child sexual exploitation and abuse on their services, including sexual extortion and the safety of recommender systems.
Download the reports
Following publication of this transparency report, X Corp. advised eSafety that its response to questions regarding the detection of livestreaming of child sexual exploitation and abuse on the Twitter service ‘was inaccurate due to an inadvertent error' and provided a revised response to the question. The following document includes X Corp.'s revised response.
Finding of non-compliance and action taken: Google
Google failed to answer a number of questions in response to the notice, in certain instances providing generic information where specific information was sought. eSafety found that Google failed to prepare a report in the manner and form required and did not comply to the extent that it was capable, as required under sections 56(2)(b) and 57 of the Act.
Google has been issued with a formal warning, notifying it of its failure to comply, and warning against non-compliance in the future.
Finding of non-compliance and action taken: X Corp. (in relation to the Twitter service)
eSafety considered X Corp.'s failure to comply to be more serious. In some instances, X Corp. failed to provide any response to the question, such as by leaving the boxes entirely blank. In other instances, X Corp. provided a response that was otherwise incomplete and/or inaccurate. eSafety found that X Corp. failed to prepare a report in the manner and form required and did not comply to the extent that it was capable, as required under sections 56(2)(b) and 57 of the Act.
In October 2023, eSafety has issued a service provider notification to X Corp. confirming its non-compliance, as well as an infringement notice for $610,500.
Update: 21 December 2023
X Corp. did not pay the infringement notice. On 10 November 2023, it sought judicial review of eSafety’s reliance on the transparency notice and the giving of the service provider notification and infringement notice to X Corp.
On 21 December 2023, eSafety commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against X Corp. for allegedly failing to comply with the notice.
eSafety’s initiating court documents:
Read eSafety's media statement for more information.
Findings from transparency notices December 2022
This report summarises the responses to notices issued to Apple, Meta, WhatsApp, Microsoft, Skype, Snap and Omegle regarding the steps being taken to detect and address child sexual exploitation and abuse on their services.
Download the report
Last updated: 10/03/2025