New Online Safety Codes will reshape access to online content
Several new Online Safety Codes will soon come into force in Australia, significantly affecting what users can see, access, and do online, and how that access is regulated. Writing in The Conversation, Professor Lisa M. Given of RMIT University outlines how online content will increasingly be filtered by search engines under the Internet Search Engine […]
Pornhub receives ransom demand after data hack
Yet another instance of hacking has raised questions about the security of online personal and other data. Pornhub, one of the biggest and most popular websites for sexually explicit content, has revealed that it is subject to a ransom demand after the details of some of its Premium users’ viewing habits had been hacked. “The […]
NSW Parliamentary Inquiry Report into Porn
The NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into pornography released its findings in late October 2025. Those findings covered subjects including harm, access by young people, average age of first exposure to pornography, sexual education and more. Findings included, “Pornography is a widely consumed form of adult entertainment that is not inherently harmful…” and “That current sexuality education […]
Proof of Age Data Breach – Discord aap
As reported in The Guardian on 7 October 2025 online messaging app Discord has advised users that a breach of identity data resulted in the theft of personal information including government ID’s, driving licence and passport details, personal names, and addresses. According to The Guardian ‘Discord began using facial age assurance to check the age […]
New Online Safety Codes Registered
The eSafety Commissioner registered new online safety codes on 9 September 2025, including the Designated Internet Services (DIS) Online Safety Code (Class 1C and Class 2 Material). This is the code for websites. Debate and concern continues locally and internationally about mandatory age assurance requirements. Use this link to the DIS Online Safety Code (Class […]
Age Assurance Technology Trial – Preliminary Findings
The preliminary findings of the trial of age assurance technologies were released on 20 June 2025. Unfortunately, they are devoid of research data, which will only be released in the final draft report to the Minister for Communications. That draft is due to be delivered by the end of July 2025. The trials will inform […]
eSafety Commissioner – Address to the National Press Club – Social Media Bans, Age Assurance & Online Safety Codes
The eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant spoke at the National Press Club on 24 June 2025. Under the banner Swimming Between the Flags the Commissioner addressed the implementation of social media bans for teenagers, due to become law on 10 December 2025, the progress of the current evaluation of age assurance technologies and the pending […]
Effectiveness of Age Assurance Technology is Under Question
The preliminary findings of the age assurance technology trials claim that “Age assurance can be done in Australia and can be private, robust and effective” is being questioned by experts and stakeholders. High age estimation error rates, ease of circumvention, and privacy and security concerns are some of the key issues raised in Dr Lisa […]
