Regulatory schemes
eSafety’s purpose is to help safeguard Australians at risk of online harms and to promote safer, more positive online experiences.
eSafety has a range of regulatory functions and powers, which we apply in a flexible and integrated way to promote compliance and achieve good outcomes for all Australians.
These powers are enhanced by the Online Safety Act 2021 (the Act), commencing 23 January 2022.
Where appropriate, eSafety will continue to work collaboratively with the online industry to resolve individual complaints.
Where a collaborative approach is not appropriate or sufficient to protect Australians, we will draw on our robust range of regulatory options.
On this page:
Our regulatory posture and priorities
This document explains our regulatory posture (or philosophy), as well as our regulatory priorities for the 2021-22 financial year. This year, our regulatory priorities are primarily focused on putting into operation the enhanced protections of the Online Safety Act 2021. We are also continuing to strengthen the support we give Australians through our established schemes and programs, laying the foundations for our new regulatory regimes, and driving online industry improvements through Safety by Design.
Compliance and Enforcement Policy
This Compliance and Enforcement Policy explains the powers available to eSafety to encourage and enforce compliance with the Online Safety Act. These powers come from both the Act and the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014 (Cth) (Regulatory Powers Act).
Basic Online Safety Expectations
The Basic Online Safety Expectations, known as ‘the Expectations’, are a key element of the Online Safety Act 2021.
The Expectations aim to ensure that social media, messaging, gaming and app services and website providers take reasonable steps to keep Australians safe online. The Act provides eSafety with powers to require reporting from providers to improve transparency and accountability.
Adult Cyber Abuse Scheme
eSafety will begin operating a reporting scheme for adult cyber abuse as part of the new Online Safety Act. This will give Australian adults who are targeted by seriously harmful online abuse somewhere to turn, if the online service providers have failed to act on reports to them.
Cyberbullying Scheme
The Online Safety Act expands Australia’s world-first Cyberbullying Scheme to provide protection to children being bullied in all online environments, not just on social media.
Image-Based Abuse Scheme
Online platforms will be forced to take down image-based abuse material faster under strengthened protections that are a key part of Australia’s new Online Safety Act.
Online Content Scheme
The Online Content Scheme regulatory guidance provides an overview of the actions available to eSafety under the Online Safety Act 2021 to address illegal and restricted online content.
Abhorrent Violent Conduct Powers
This document provides an overview of the actions available to eSafety under the Online Safety Act 2021 to prevent Australian internet users from accessing material that promotes, incites, instructs in or depicts abhorrent violent conduct.
More information
Check our advice and resources, including when and how to report a complaint to eSafety:
More about illegal and restricted online content