<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339520</docID> <postdate>2025-03-03 12:29:57</postdate> <headline>Fines for tech firms exposing kids to harmful content</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-339521" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20241107137844931909-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="601" /></p> <caption>Online platforms that fail to restrict children's access to disturbing content could face fines. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By<strong> Farid Farid</strong> in Sydney</span></p> <p><strong>Tech firms and telcos that fail to protect kids from harmful material such as self-harm instructions, fetish porn and violence could be hit with massive fines under an industry proposal.</strong></p> <p>New codes sent to the eSafety Commissioner for approval would strengthen online safety laws by attempting to restrict children's access to disturbing content.</p> <p>A $50 million fine could be applied for any breaches of laws, building on a series of separate agreements in 2023 to cover the most extreme material, including child exploitation and pro-terror content.</p> <p>The latest enforceable codes would cover social media, messaging, search engine and app distribution services.</p> <p>The wide-sweeping proposal would also apply to internet and hosting service providers, along with manufacturers and suppliers of any equipment that connects to the internet, including smart devices and computers.</p> <p>They would also cover operators of all websites that can be accessed by Australian users.</p> <p>If the codes are approved by the commissioner, companies will have six months to implement the measures.</p> <p>Jennifer Duxbury from the Digital Industry Group said children being exposed to dangerous online content was a social problem that needed to be regulated.</p> <p>The group is one of the industry associations behind the codes and its members include the main social media platforms and other tech giants like Apple, Google and Microsoft.</p> <p>"Children should be protected from exposure to pornography and material that encourages harmful behaviours such as instruction for eating disorders, suicide and self-harm," Dr Duxbury said.</p> <p>"That's why the technology industry is working together to strengthen safety measures and ensure that children can navigate online spaces in a secure and supportive way."</p> <p>The publication of the proposed codes on Monday comes as research shines a light on the exposure of Australian children to other potentially harmful interactions online.</p> <p>A study by Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Human Mobile Devices published on Monday surveyed 12,000 children aged between eight and 15 across five countries, including Australia, about their online habits.</p> <p>It found that almost half of Australian children (43 per cent) have been regularly contacted online by strangers and more than one-fifth have had a stranger try to lure them into an encrypted chat.</p> <p>More than half of the children surveyed also reported being bullied or made to feel small on social media or messaging apps.</p> <p>Globally, children are spending as much time on their phones daily as they are in school.</p> <p>"This data is a major wake-up call for everyone concerned about the wellbeing of Australian children, not just parents and government but also the technology industry," Human Mobile Device's Brenden Folitarik said.</p> <p>"It's going to need to be a team effort to turn this around."</p> <p>In December, a world-first ban on social media for people younger than 16 was signed off by federal parliament.</p> <p>The laws will come into effect in late 2025 and cover platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.</p> </body>