There certainly has been ferocious debate in Australia during the last few years about the obligation big tech companies have to bear for information on their platforms.

Global tech titans such as Apple and also Facebook have been required to show Australian authorities what they are really doing to eliminate child abuse on their platforms or risk daily fines.

Australia has ordered global tech giants to show what measures they are taking to deal with child abuse on their networks or face substantial fines, the federal government declared on Tuesday.

eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has issued notices to Apple; Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook and also Instagram; Microsoft, and its Skype platform; Snap; and Omegle.

This move comes under the Online Safety Act 2021 and requires the organizations to disclose on how they are dealing with the proliferation of child sexual exploitation material.

In the case that the companies do not reply in the timeframe, the organizations could very well face penalties of AU$555,000 daily, according to a statement from the commission. This is the first such demand under new legislation that was introduced in 2021.

Further information is viewable at: esafety.gov.au/industry/basic-online-safety-expectations.

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