Media releases

The eSafety Commissioner used expanded powers in the first year of the Online Safety Act to better protect Australians from harm.

Time to act: eSafety puts new tools to work

eSafety is encouraging everyone to support older relatives and friends and reinforce the importance of online safety, with help from Be Connected.

New year, new devices: Be Connected and make online safety a priority this year

Some of the world’s biggest technology companies are not doing enough to tackle child sexual exploitation on their platforms, according to a new report from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner

World-first report shows leading tech companies are not doing enough to tackle online child abuse

Education authorities and peak bodies will join a new national council led by the eSafety Commissioner to address online harms in schools.

Educators commit to closer cooperation for online safety

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has called for greater transparency and robust risk management from social media platforms and online services around the dangers their recommender algorithms pose to users, particularly children.

Kids

Time to take a look under the virtual hood at how algorithms might be harming our kids

Parents

Read the fine print before sending your child to Mars these holidays

Immersive devices like virtual reality headsets and haptic gloves can unlock new and fantastical experiences, but they can also expose your child to a range of harms.

Women

New training will help female employees and small business owners combat gendered online abuse, with a focus on how to recognise, report and block abusive behaviour.

New training to block, mute and report online hate directed at women

Regulators from Australia, Fiji, Ireland and the United Kingdom are joining forces to encourage and coordinate global efforts to make the online world a safer place.

Regulators collaborate through new global network to counter online harm

The eSafety Commissioner has congratulated Trusted eSafety Providers on delivering programs to a quarter of all Australian school students.

Kids

1 million students get eSafety guidance from a trusted source

A cyberbullying support bot and cyber ninjas teaching self-defence are among latest projects funded under the Online Safety Grants Program.

Kids

Australian Government grants take online safety message to millions

Image-based abuse

Young men bear the brunt of sexual extortion as reports rise

Reports of image-based abuse to the eSafety Commissioner have increased by 55 per cent, with significantly more reports from males.

Diverse groups

Play nice, stay safe: New resources to support LGBTIQ+ community online

The eSafety Commissioner has launched new resources to help the LGBTIQ+ community safely navigate the online world, featuring guidance on a range of issues, from dealing with trolls to meeting people online.

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner is encouraging the community and stakeholders to have their say on draft industry codes intended to reduce the risk of illegal and harmful online content.

Australians encouraged to comment on draft industry codes

The eSafety Commissioner's Young Mentors program aims to improve older Australians’ digital skills by connecting them with student mentors.

Age no barrier as teens connect with seniors to break down digital divide

eSafety has issued legal notices to some of the world’s biggest tech companies, requiring them to report on how they are tackling child sexual exploitation material.

Tech platforms asked to explain how they are tackling online child sexual exploitation

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has released a new four-year strategy outlining how the world’s first government online safety regulator will continue to protect Australians from all forms of online harm.

eSafety releases roadmap for the future to keep all Australians safe online

Parents

Simple steps to Online Safety for Every Family

New resources from the eSafety Commissioner help parents and carers from all backgrounds protect their families in the digital world.

Research

Tech revolution essential to help stop technology-facilitated abuse

As new research reveals 1 in 2 Australians have experienced tech abuse, the eSafety Commissioner is calling for a radical shift in technology design and use to help end online abuse.

Cyberbullying

Parents urged to watch out for signs of cyberbullying

Parents urged to be alert to changes in children’s behaviour that suggest they are a target of cyberbullying.

The AFL has signed a new agreement with eSafety to help improve online safety for AFL players, fans and the broader community.

AFL and eSafety commit to #PlayitFairOnline

The heads of the four members of the Digital Platform Regulators Forum (the forum) met yesterday and have agreed on a collective set of priorities for 2022/23

Digital Platform Regulators Forum names algorithms, digital transparency and increased collaboration as priorities for 2022/23

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has extended the deadline for the online industry to develop fit-for-purpose codes to provide more meaningful safety protections for Australians online.

Australia’s online industry given more time to get world-first codes right

Australia’s Online Safety Youth Advisory Council will meet for the first time today to discuss their vision for creating safer, more empowering online spaces.

National Youth Council sets agenda to keep peers safe online

eSafety has collaborated with Gen Z creatives to launch SCROLL: a new youth campaign on what to do when things go wrong online.

New Gen Z campaign to help tackle online abuse

Significant numbers of older Australians are missing out on cost-of-living savings by not being able to access the information they need online – so eSafety has launched a free course to help them

New course bridges knowledge gap to save older Australians money

The eSafety Commissioner has exercised additional powers under the Online Safety Act 2021 to limit the spread of the horrific video and manifesto produced by the Buffalo terror attack shooter.

eSafety takes further action to prevent spread of Buffalo terror attack footage

The eSafety Commissioner has enacted strong new powers under Australia’s Online Safety Act 2021 to prevent the further spread of the horrific video and manifesto produced by the Buffalo terror attack shooter.

eSafety takes strong action to protect Australians from exposure to Buffalo terror attack footage

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has collaborated with the ABC to release best-practice resources designed to help media organisations better protect their journalists from increasing levels of online abuse experienced in the course of doing their jobs

Women

New resources to promote safer online working environments for journalists

Development of new online industry codes to better protect Australians from online harms has entered the next phase with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner providing detailed feedback on the latest industry draft.

Industry codes to protect Australians from online harms a key step closer

A new podcast series launched by the eSafety Commissioner offers older Australians an easy and entertaining way to dial up their digital skills.

eSafety evolving the online education of older Australians with podcast series

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has formed a new Online Safety Youth Advisory Council

Youth Advisory Council gives young Australians a voice on online safety

$2.25m in funding is available to be awarded to develop services, resources and products that improve online safety of Australian children.

NGOs encouraged to get ready to apply for grant funding to help keep Aussies safe online

Women

eSafety joins global partnership to end online abuse of women

eSafety is joining forces with global counterparts to help end the online harassment and abuse of women.

Australia’s digital platform regulators join forces setting up a national forum to improve information sharing and regulatory coordination.

Digital regulators unite to help reign in market power of Big Tech