ONLINE SAFETY ACT 2021

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

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ONLINE SAFETY ACT 2021

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Long Title

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

1. Short title
2. Commencement
3. Objects of this Act
4. Simplified outline of this Act
5. Definitions
6. Cyber - bullying material targeted at an Australian child
7. Cyber - abuse material targeted at an Australian adult
8. Determining whether material is offensive
9. Material that depicts abhorrent violent conduct
10. When material is provided on a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
11. When material is posted by an end - user of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
12. When material is removed from a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
13. Social media service
13A. Relevant electronic service
14. Designated internet service
15. Intimate image
16. Non - consensual intimate image of a person
17. Hosting service
18. On - demand program service
19. Internet service providers
20. Supply of internet carriage service to the public
21. Consent
22. Crown to be bound
23. Application of this Act
24. Convention on the Rights of the Child

PART 2--ESAFETY--COMMISSIONER

25. Simplified outline of this Part
26. eSafety Commissioner
27. Functions of the Commissioner
28. Powers of the Commissioner

PART 3--COMPLAINTS--, OBJECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS

Division 1--Introduction

29. Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Complaints about cyber-bullying material targeted at an Australian child

30. Complaints about cyber - bullying material
31. Investigation of complaints

Division 3--Complaints about, and objections to, intimate images

32. Complaints
33. Objection notice
34. Investigation of complaints
35. Commissioner's response to objection notices

Division 4--Complaints about cyber-abuse material targeted at an Australian adult

36. Complaints about cyber - abuse material
37. Investigation of complaints

Division 5--Complaints relating to the online content scheme

38. Complaints about class 1 material or class 2 material
39. Complaints relating to breach of a service provider rule etc.
40. Complaints relating to breach of an industry code etc.
41. Residency etc. of complainant
42. Commissioner may investigate matters
43. Commissioner may refuse to investigate certain matters

PART 4--BASIC--ONLINE SAFETY EXPECTATIONS

Division 1--Introduction

44. Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Basic online safety expectations

45. Basic online safety expectations
46. Core expectations
47. Consultation
48. Service provider notifications

Division 3--Reporting

Subdivision A--Periodic reporting about compliance with basic online safety expectations

49. Periodic reporting notice
50. Compliance with notice
51. Formal warning
52. Periodic reporting determination
53. Compliance with determination
54. Formal warning
55. Service provider notifications

Subdivision B--Non-periodic reporting about compliance with basic online safety expectations

56. Non - periodic reporting notice
57. Compliance with notice
58. Formal warning
59. Non - periodic reporting determination
60. Compliance with determination
61. Formal warning
62. Service provider notifications

Subdivision C--Self-incrimination

63. Self - incrimination

PART 5--CYBER---BULLYING MATERIAL TARGETED AT AN AUSTRALIAN CHILD

64. Simplified outline of this Part
65. Removal notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
66. Removal notice given to a hosting service provider
67. Compliance with removal notice
68. Formal warning
70. End - user notice
71. Compliance with end - user notice
72. Formal warning
73. Service provider notifications

PART 6--NON---CONSENSUAL SHARING OF INTIMATE IMAGES

Division 1--Introduction

74. Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Intimate images must not be posted without consent etc.

75. Posting an intimate image
76. Formal warning

Division 3--Removal notices

77. Removal notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
78. Removal notice given to an end - user
79. Removal notice given to a hosting service provider
80. Compliance with removal notice
81. Formal warning

Division 4--Miscellaneous

83. Remedial direction
84. Formal warning
85. Service provider notifications
86. Exempt provision of an intimate image

PART 7--CYBER---ABUSE MATERIAL TARGETED AT AN AUSTRALIAN ADULT

87. Simplified outline of this Part
88. Removal notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
89. Removal notice given to an end - user
90. Removal notice given to a hosting service provider
91. Compliance with removal notice
92. Formal warning
93. Service provider notifications

PART 8--MATERIAL--THAT DEPICTS ABHORRENT VIOLENT CONDUCT

Division 1--Introduction

94. Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Blocking requests

95. Blocking request
96. Duration of blocking request
97. Revocation of blocking request
98. Notification in relation to domain names and URLs

Division 3--Blocking notices

99. Blocking notice
100. Duration of blocking notice
101. Revocation of blocking notice
102. Notification in relation to domain names and URLs
103. Compliance with blocking notice

Division 4--Exempt material

104. Exempt material

PART 9--ONLINE--CONTENT SCHEME

Division 1--Introduction

105. Simplified outline of this Part
106. Class 1 material
107. Class 2 material
108. Restricted access system

Division 2--Removal notices relating to class 1 material

109. Removal notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
110. Removal notice given to a hosting service provider
111. Compliance with removal notice
112. Formal warning
113. Revocation of removal notice
113A. Service provider notifications

Division 3--Removal notices relating to class 2 material

114. Removal notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
115. Removal notice given to a hosting service provider
116. Compliance with removal notice
117. Formal warning
118. Revocation of removal notice
118A. Service provider notifications

Division 4--Remedial notices relating to class 2 material

119. Remedial notice given to the provider of a social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service
120. Remedial notice given to a hosting service provider
121. Compliance with remedial notice
122. Formal warning
123. Revocation of remedial notice
123A. Service provider notifications

Division 5--Link deletion notices

124. Link deletion notice
125. Compliance with link deletion notice
126. Formal warning
127. Revocation of link deletion notice

Division 6--App removal notices

128. App removal notice
129. Compliance with app removal notice
130. Formal warning
131. Revocation of app removal notice

Division 7--Industry codes and industry standards

Subdivision A--Interpretation

132. Industry codes
133. Industry standards
134. Online activity
135. Sections of the online industry
136. Participants in a section of the online industry

Subdivision B--General principles relating to industry codes and industry standards

137. Statement of regulatory policy
138. Examples of matters that may be dealt with by industry codes and industry standards
139. Escalation of complaints

Subdivision C--Industry codes

140. Registration of industry codes
141. Commissioner may request codes
141A. Publication of notice where no body or association represents a section of the online industry
142. Replacement of industry codes
143. Compliance with industry codes
144. Formal warnings--breach of industry codes

Subdivision D--Industry standards

145. Commissioner may determine an industry standard
146. Compliance with industry standards
147. Formal warnings--breach of industry standards
148. Public consultation on industry standards

Subdivision E--Register of industry codes and industry standards

149. Commissioner to maintain Register of industry codes and industry standards

Subdivision F--Miscellaneous

150. Industry standards prevail over inconsistent industry codes

Division 8--Service provider determinations

151. Service provider determinations
152. Exemptions from service provider determinations
153. Compliance with service provider rules
154. Remedial directions--breach of service provider rules
155. Formal warnings--breach of service provider rules

Division 9--Federal Court orders

156. Federal Court may order a person to cease providing a social media service
157. Federal Court may order a person to cease providing a relevant electronic service
158. Federal Court may order a person to cease providing a designated internet service
159. Federal Court may order a person to cease supplying an internet carriage service

Division 10--Commissioner may obtain advice from the Classification Board

160. Commissioner may obtain advice from the Classification Board

PART 10--ENFORCEMENT

161. Simplified outline of this Part
162. Civil penalty provision
163. Infringement notices
164. Enforceable undertakings
165. Injunctions

PART 11--ADMINISTRATIVE--PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE COMMISSIONER

Division 1--Introduction

166. Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Appointment of the Commissioner

167. Appointment of the Commissioner
168. Period of appointment for the Commissioner
169. Acting appointments
170. Application of finance law

Division 3--Terms and conditions for the Commissioner

171. Remuneration and allowances
172. Leave of absence
173. Outside employment
174. Disclosure of interests to the Minister
175. Resignation
176. Termination of appointment
177. Other terms and conditions

Division 4--Other matters

178. Supplementary powers
179. Commissioner's liabilities are Commonwealth liabilities
180. Commissioner has privileges and immunities of the Crown
181. Delegation by the Commissioner to a member of the staff of the ACMA etc.
182. Delegation by the Commissioner to a contractor engaged by the Commissioner
183. Annual report
183A. Advisory committees
184. Assistance to the Commissioner
185. Contractors engaged by the Commissioner
186. Commissioner not subject to direction by the ACMA etc.
187. Consultants
188. Minister may give directions to the Commissioner

PART 12--ONLINE--SAFETY SPECIAL ACCOUNT

189. Simplified outline of this Part
190. Online Safety Special Account
191. Credits to the Account
192. Purposes of the Account

PART 13--INFORMATION---GATHERING POWERS

193. Simplified outline of this Part
194. Commissioner may obtain end - user identity information or contact details
195. Compliance with notice
196. Self - incrimination

PART 14--INVESTIGATIVE--POWERS

197. Simplified outline of this Part
198. Application of this Part
199. Notice requiring appearance for examination
200. Examination on oath or affirmation
201. Examination to take place in private
202. Record to be made of examination
203. Production of documents for inspection
204. Protection of persons giving evidence
205. Non - compliance with requirement to give evidence

PART 15--DISCLOSURE--OF INFORMATION

206. Simplified outline of this Part
207. Scope
208. Disclosure to Minister
209. Disclosure to Secretary, or APS employees, for advising the Minister
210. Disclosure to a member of the staff of the ACMA etc.
211. Disclosure to Royal Commissions
212. Disclosure to certain authorities
213. Disclosure to teachers or school principals
214. Disclosure to parents or guardians
215. Disclosure with consent
216. Disclosure of publicly available information
217. Disclosure of summaries and statistics
218. Relationship with Parts 13 and 15 of the Telecommunications Act 1997

PART 16--MISCELLANEOUS

219. Simplified outline of this Part
220. Review of decisions by the Administrative Review Tribunal
220A. Internal review of decisions
221. Protection from civil proceedings
222. Liability for damages
223. Protection from criminal proceedings--Commissioner, Classification Board etc.
224. Referral of matters to law enforcement agencies
225. Deferral of action in order to avoid prejudicing a criminal investigation
226. Copies of material
227. Compensation for acquisition of property
228. Service of notices by electronic means
229. Service of notices on contact person etc.
230. Instruments under this Act may provide for matters by reference to other instruments
231. This Act does not limit Schedule 8 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992
232. This Act does not limit the Telecommunications Act 1997
233. Implied freedom of political communication
234. Concurrent operation of State and Territory laws
235. Liability of Australian hosting service providers and internet service providers under State and Territory laws etc.
236. This Act not to affect performance of State or Territory functions
237. Revocation or variation of instruments
238. Provider of social media service, relevant electronic service, designated internet service or app distribution service
239. Extended meaning of use
239A. Review of operation of this Act
240. Legislative rules

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