Jesuit Social Services Demands Tougher Safeguards in Australia’s Online Safety Bill

Melbourne — Jesuit Social Services has called for stronger legal obligations on technology companies to detect and prevent serious online harm, warning that Australia’s proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation lacks specific requirements to stop harmful content before it spreads.

The organisation welcomed the Federal Government’s introduction of the bill into Parliament but said digital platforms should be compelled to identify and deter illegal material and conduct, rather than rely on reactive measures.

Jesuit Social Services Chief Executive, Julie Edwards, said the legislation must preserve existing protections while establishing clear minimum standards for technology companies.

“Jesuit Social Services supports this move to take action against online harm, but it must not water down any protection that we already have in place,” Edwards said.

The organisation said the bill did not explicitly require digital service providers to proactively detect and deter seriously harmful or illegal content, a measure it had recommended in its submission to the draft legislation in September.

Edwards said the law needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving online threats while ensuring platforms faced clear responsibilities.

“The online world is moving at lightning speed, and legislation needs to be able to accommodate that to keep Australians, our children in particular, safe,” she said.

She welcomed the flexibility the bill would give the Government and eSafety Commissioner to respond to emerging risks but said this should be accompanied by enforceable minimum requirements for platforms.

The organisation also wants independent experts involved in risk assessments conducted by digital service providers, arguing that companies should not be solely responsible for evaluating their own handling of online harm.

“Further, digital service providers cannot be relied on to mark their own homework – the bill must require them to engage with external experts as they undertake the required risk assessments,” Edwards said.

Jesuit Social Services said the legislation should explicitly address misogynistic material, including content associated with the manosphere, as well as racist hate speech and hostility towards LGBTQIA+ people.

The organisation warned that children were being exposed to misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic material online, and called for platforms to take greater responsibility for preventing its spread.

“Our children deserve a safe online environment, but we know they are being exposed to misogynistic, racist, homophobic and transphobic content online. That has to be stopped,” Edwards said.

She said the public expected technology companies to do more than respond to complaints after harmful material had circulated.

“The community expects digital service providers to start playing a major role in actively stopping online harm,” she said.

The debate over the bill centres on how far digital platforms should be required to go in identifying risks, preventing harmful conduct and demonstrating compliance with their legal responsibilities.

Jesuit Social Services is urging Parliament to strengthen the proposed safeguards so that preventing serious online harm becomes an explicit responsibility of digital service providers..