A nation-wide industry code for dating apps -- detailing how they protect users from harm and abuse has come into force.
Category
đź“ş
TVTranscript
00:00Well, from today, these online dating platforms will have six months to become compliant with
00:06a code of conduct that's designed to increase safety for users.
00:10This is a big issue that's being seen with a 2022 Australian Institute of Criminology
00:15study finding that three out of four people who had been surveyed had been subjected to
00:19sexual violence through dating apps in the five years prior.
00:23This code's been in the works since the beginning of last year and is voluntary for now before
00:27becoming enforceable from April next year.
00:30So this code will require apps to have systems in place to detect potential incidents of
00:34online, enabled harm, and also to take actions against users who violate safety policies.
00:40They'll also have to have prominent and transparent reporting mechanisms and will be required
00:45to tell the e-safety commissioner about how many accounts have been terminated.
00:49They'll also have to engage with law enforcement and escalate threats where there's an imminent
00:53safety risk.
00:54And the apps will also have a new rating system, which will allow users to see how they stack
00:58up against these new safety obligations.
01:01Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says that the government wants to be able to keep
01:04users safer.
01:05We know that self-regulation is often the best and quickest form of regulation in innovative
01:12industries.
01:13But at the same time, of course, we have consistently said that if this code does not deliver the
01:17safety benefits that we expect for Australians, then the government will have no hesitation
01:22in imposing direct regulation on this sector.
01:25So what we want here is outcomes.
01:27We want people to continue to experience and to have the freedom to choose of these apps.
01:31But they do need to be made safer.
01:33For now, this industry code is voluntary, but the e-safety commissioner will be reviewing
01:38it in 2026 to decide if it should be made mandatory.