Industry Codes
Revised Consolidated Industry Codes of Practice for the Online Industry, Phase 1
(Class 1A and Class 1B material)
March 2023
The revised draft codes outline steps that online industry participants must take to enhance online protections by reducing access and exposure to certain types of harmful online material, known as Class 1A and 1B material with reference to Australia’s classification scheme. This includes material promoting child sexual abuse, terrorism, extreme crime and violence, crime and violence, and drug-related content.
In line with requirements from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, separate codes have been developed for each section of the online industry identified by the Online Safety Act. Each revised schedule, and their associated revised common Head Terms, can be downloaded at the links below, in either Word or PDF format.
During the second consultation period (9 March to 23 March), industry associations sought feedback on the revised codes. These can be found below and include ‘Revised – 9 March’ in the document title.
Also listed below are the superseded draft codes submitted to the eSafety Commissioner on 18 November 2022 for registration. These draft codes include ‘Closed for comment – superseded draft’ in the document title.
On 9 March 2023, eSafety shared its preliminary assessment of the superseded draft codes, requesting that additional feedback be considered by industry prior to the codes being resubmitted to the eSafety Commissioner by 9 March. The feedback provided by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner on 9 February in response to the superseded codes is also provided below.
The industry associations requested an extension to conduct a second 30-day public consultation on the revised draft codes to give the community and stakeholders an opportunity to express their views on the codes following the Commissioner’s feedback. A short extension was granted and codes are now due for resubmission to the eSafety Commissioner by 31 March 2023. This allowed for a two-week period of second public consultation. The second consultation period has now closed. The associations are considering the feedback received through submissions and preparing final drafts of the codes, together with an updated request for registration and submissions log, for the Office of eSafety Commissioner.
Head terms for all code schedules
All schedules relating to different industry sections utilise a common set of Head Terms.
Social media services
Electronic services that enable online social interaction between 2 or more end‑users.
eSafety Feedback on November superseded draft:
Relevant electronic services
Services used for messaging (including SMS and MMS), email, and online gaming.
eSafety Feedback on superseded draft:
Designated internet services
All websites that can be accessed by Australian end-users, including end-user online storage.
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
Internet search engine services
Software-based services designed to collect and rank information on the World Wide Web in response to user queries.
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
App distribution services
Services that enable the download of third-party apps by Australian end-users.
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
Hosting services
Service that hosts stored material, that has been provided on another social media service, relevant electronic service, or designated internet service.
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
eSafety Feedback Schedule 6 – Hosting Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Internet carriage services
Services provided by Internet Service Providers or ISPs, provided to Australian end-users.
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
eSafety Feedback Schedule 7 – Internet Carriage Services Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Manufacturing, supplying, maintaining or Installing equipment
Manufacturers, suppliers, maintenance providers and installation providers of equipment, as well as Operating Service (OS) providers.
Revised – 9 March – Schedule 8 – Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Revised – 9 March – Schedule 8 – Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – DOC
eSafety feedback on superseded draft:
eSafety Feedback Schedule 8 – Equipment Online Safety Code (Class 1A and Class 1B Material) – PDF
Supplementary Explanatory
Memorandum
Details of how industry has approached revision of the codes and background on the code development process to date, to support the second round of consultation, can be found in this explanatory memorandum.
Superseded – 2022 Request for registration
Details about the basis upon which the industry associations sought registration of the codes in November 2022, including details of how the codes meet the criteria of the Online Safety Act 2021 and the expectations outlined in the eSaftey Position Paper.