What we do

eSafety was established in 2015 as the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner, with the focus on protecting young Australians from serious cyberbullying on social media sites and disrupting the online distribution of child sexual abuse material.

Since then, our mandate has expanded to include protections for a wide range of harms experienced by Australians of all ages, across many different types of digital services and platforms.

In 2021, the Australian Government streamlined online safety laws under the Online Safety Act (2021). In 2024 the Act was amended to include social media age restrictions. eSafety is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Act and its amendments.

We use our powers under the Act to encourage prevention, provide protection and drive proactive systemic change.

We achieve this through interconnected measures designed to reduce online risks, limit the impacts of online harms and keep online service providers accountable.

Find out more about our operating model.

Led by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, our team includes investigators, lawyers, researchers, policy analysts, technology experts, educators, communications specialists and many other highly skilled people.

Together, we engage and consult with a wide range of stakeholders to inform eSafety’s strategy, programs and resources – including people with lived experience of online harms and those who support them.

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.

Our vision is simple: to help create a world where everyone can enjoy the benefits of digital technology and online spaces, free from harm.