Public consultation
Industry Codes – Unlawful Material
Review of the Unlawful Material Codes:
Public Consultation
These Codes are mandatory, and enforceable regulations under the Online Safety Act 2021 that include obligations on digital services across the tech stack to take action against the most serious unlawful online content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), pro-terror material, and material promoting extreme violence, including from hosting services to ISPs, search engines, app stores and social media services. The Unlawful Material Codes form a crucial part of Australia’s world leading online safety framework, meeting or exceeding comparable international regimes in scope.
The review is examining whether the Codes remain current. Specifically, the associations will consider:
- Changes in the threat and technological landscape, such as the rapid growth of generative AI tools.
- Changes in Australia’s regulatory settings, including the commencement of the co-regulatory Age-Restricted Material Codes and the Government’s plans for a Digital Duty of Care.
- The need to resolve terminology inconsistencies and ensure compliance measures are clearly understood.
Submissions from the public, civil society organisations, and technology companies are invited to help strengthen this key framework.
The consultation opens on 4 June 2026, and will close on 9 July 2026.
Terms of Reference
Industry associations have launched the Unlawful Material Codes for public consultation persuant to these Terms of Reference informed by input received as part of a public consultation.
Discussion Paper
Industry associations have launched the Unlawful Material Codes for public consultation together with an Discussion Paper that provides more context on the approach.
List of Codes
These Codes developed by industry associations in consultation with the public.
Broadly speaking, the online material covered under the eight Codes is child sexual exploitation and pro-terror material, as well as material that deals with crime and violence, and drug-related content. For the development history, please see here.
Once registered by the eSafety Commissioner, they became enforceable across 2023 and 2024. They are now undergoing routine statutory review.
Head terms for all code schedules
– registered on 12 September 2023 –
All schedules relating to different industry sections utilise a common set of Head Terms.
App distribution services
– registered on 16 June 2023 –
Services that enable the download of third-party apps by Australian end-users.
Schedule 2 – App Distribution Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Hosting services
– registered on 16 June 2023 –
Service that hosts stored material, that has been provided on another social media service, relevant electronic service, or designated internet service.
Schedule 3 – Hosting Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Internet carriage services
– registered on 16 June 2023 –
Services provided by Internet Service Providers or ISPs, provided to Australian end-users.
Schedule 4 – Internet Carriage Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
– registered on 12 September 2023 –
Software-based services designed to collect and rank information on the World Wide Web in response to user queries.
Manufacturing, supplying, maintaining or Installing equipment
– registered on 16 June 2023 –
Manufacturers, suppliers, maintenance providers and installation providers of equipment, as well as Operating Service (OS) providers.
Schedule 5 – Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Social media services
Electronic services that enable online social interaction between 2 or more end‑users.
– registered on 16 June 2023 –
Schedule 1 – Social Media Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Submissions
Please lodge your submission using the form provided. The consultation will close on 9 July 2026.