Ai Group welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the consultation with respect to the exposure draft of the Online Safety (Basic Online Safety Expectations) Determination 2021 (Draft Determination) by the Department of infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. We understand that this Draft Determination is aimed at setting out the online safety expectations the Government has for social media services, relevant electronic services and designated internet services.

Overall, industry recognises the importance of protecting the safety and security of the Australian community, both in the physical and online realm. Indeed, Ai Group works closely with governments and their agencies on improving Australia’s safety and security in a diverse range of areas. In this mix, the eSafety Commissioner has an important specific role to promote a safe online environment.

Our submission therefore does not object to the underlying intention behind the legislation and Draft Determination, which is to provide appropriate online safety protections for the Australian community. Instead, we seek improvements in the Draft Determination to provide clarity, enable procedural fairness, and reduce regulatory complexity and burden for businesses (as well as the eSafety Commissioner) in order for them to better understand and meet their obligations.