Australia Online Safety Act 2021
Australia's Online Safety Act 2021 as in force from 12 September 2026: the duties it places on social media, messaging, gaming, website, hosting, search, app store and internet service providers and on end-users, from the basic online safety expectations and their reporting notices, the under-16 social media minimum age obligation with its privacy limits, and the 24-hour removal notices for cyber-bullying, intimate images, adult cyber-abuse and class 1 and 2 material, to blocking, link deletion and app removal notices, the registered industry codes and standards, and the Commissioner's information and examination powers. 35 leaves read against the authorised compilation.
Australia Online Safety Act 2021 is a compliance framework from Australia (Commonwealth); regulator the eSafety Commissioner with 5 domains and 35 controls that map to 2 other frameworks. The largest domains are Parts 5 to 8: Complaints-based removal, end-user notices and blocking – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (9 controls), Part 4: Basic online safety expectations and reporting – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (8 controls), Part 9: Online content scheme, industry codes and standards – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (8 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (5)
Part 4: Basic online safety expectations and reporting – Australia Online Safety Act 2021
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s46(1)(a)-(b) | Basic online safety expectation: reasonable steps for safe use, in consultation with the Commissioner |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s46(1)(c)-(d) | Basic online safety expectation: minimise harmful material and keep class 2 material from children |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s46(1)(e)-(f) | Basic online safety expectation: clear reporting and complaint mechanisms |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s46(1)(g)-(i) | Basic online safety expectation: answer the Commissioner's information requests within 30 days |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s49-50 | Comply with a periodic reporting notice on the basic online safety expectations |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s52-53 | Comply with a periodic reporting determination for a class of services |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s56-57 | Comply with a non-periodic reporting notice on the basic online safety expectations |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s59-60 | Comply with a non-periodic reporting determination for a class of services |
Part 4A: Social media minimum age – Australia Online Safety Act 2021
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63C | Determine whether the service is an age-restricted social media platform |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63D-63E | Take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s having accounts |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63DA | Do not collect prohibited kinds of information for age assurance |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63DB | Offer an alternative to government ID and accredited digital ID |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63F | Limit use and disclosure of age assurance data and destroy it after use |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63G-63H | Answer the Commissioner's information and document notices on minimum age compliance |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s63HA-63HG | Attend, answer and produce at an examination on minimum age compliance |
Part 9: Online content scheme, industry codes and standards – Australia Online Safety Act 2021
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s109-111 | Comply with a class 1 material removal notice within 24 hours |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s114-116 | Comply with a class 2 (X 18+ and Category 2 restricted) removal notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s119-121 | Comply with a class 2 remedial notice: remove the material or put it behind a restricted access system |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s124-125 | Search engine: comply with a link deletion notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s128-129 | App store: comply with an app removal notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s137-144 | Comply with the registered industry codes that apply to the provider's section of the online industry |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s145-147 | Comply with industry standards determined by the Commissioner |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s151-155 | Comply with service provider rules and remedial directions |
Parts 13, 14 and 16: Information, investigation and service of notices – Australia Online Safety Act 2021
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s194-195 | Give end-user identity information and contact details on notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s199-205 | Attend, answer and produce documents in an eSafety investigation |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s229 | Designate and notify a contact person, or keep an Australian agent, for service of notices |
Parts 5 to 8: Complaints-based removal, end-user notices and blocking – Australia Online Safety Act 2021
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s30(4)-65(1)(c) | Run an in-service complaints process that resolves reports within 48 hours and issues complaint receipts |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s65-67 | Comply with a cyber-bullying removal notice within 24 hours |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s70-71 | End-user: comply with a cyber-bullying end-user notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s75 | Do not post, or threaten to post, an intimate image without consent |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s77-79-80 | Comply with an intimate image removal notice within 24 hours |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s78-83 | End-user: remove an intimate image on notice and follow any remedial direction |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s88-90-91 | Comply with an adult cyber-abuse removal notice within 24 hours |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s89-91 | End-user: remove adult cyber-abuse material on notice |
| australia-online-safety-act-2021::s95-103 | Internet service provider: act on abhorrent violent material blocking requests and notices |
Maps to 2 other frameworks
Coverage is not the same as your position
This page shows what Australia Online Safety Act 2021 overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.
The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business daysWhat is Australia Online Safety Act 2021 and who does it apply to?
Australia Online Safety Act 2021 is a compliance framework from Australia (Commonwealth); regulator the eSafety Commissioner with 5 domains and 35 controls. Australia's Online Safety Act 2021 as in force from 12 September 2026: the duties it places on social media, messaging, gaming, website, hosting, search, app store and internet service providers and on end-users, from the basic online safety expectations and their reporting notices, the under-16 social media minimum age obligation with its privacy limits, and the 24-hour removal notices for cyber-bullying, intimate images, adult cyber-abuse and class 1 and 2 material, to blocking, link deletion and app removal notices, the registered industry codes and standards, and the Commissioner's information and examination powers. 35 leaves read against the authorised compilation. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does Australia Online Safety Act 2021 actually require?
Australia Online Safety Act 2021 has 35 controls organised across 5 domains. The largest domains are Parts 5 to 8: Complaints-based removal, end-user notices and blocking – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (9 controls), Part 4: Basic online safety expectations and reporting – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (8 controls), Part 9: Online content scheme, industry codes and standards – Australia Online Safety Act 2021 (8 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of Australia Online Safety Act 2021 do I already cover?
Australia Online Safety Act 2021 maps to 2 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are UK Online Safety Act 2023 (14% coverage), Australia eSafety Commissioner - Online Safety Expectations for Industry (4% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement Australia Online Safety Act 2021?
Start your Australia Online Safety Act 2021 compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about Australia Online Safety Act 2021 requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 35 controls and track your progress.
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