List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

5.140The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider options for greater enforceability of Australian laws for social media platforms, including amending regulation and legislation, to effectively bring digital platforms under Australian jurisdiction.

Recommendation 2

5.141The committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce a single and overarching statutory duty of care onto digital platforms for the wellbeing of their Australian users, and requires digital platforms to implement diligent risk assessments and risk mitigation plans to make their systems and processes safe for all Australians.

Recommendation 3

5.142The committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislative provisions to enable effective, mandatory data access for independent researchers and public interest organisations, and an auditing process by appropriate regulators.

Recommendation 4

5.143The committee recommends that the Australian Government, as part of its regulatory framework, ensures that social media platforms introduce measures that allow users greater control over what user-generated content and paid content they see by having the ability to alter, reset, or turn off their personal algorithms and recommender systems.

Recommendation 5

5.144The committee recommends that the Australian Government prioritise proposals from the Privacy Act review relating to greater protections for the personal information of Australians and children, including as part of its suite of ongoing privacy reforms, such as the Children’s Online Privacy Code.

Recommendation 6

5.145The committee recommends that any features of the Australian Government's regulatory framework that will affect young people be co-designed with young people.

Recommendation 7

5.146The committee recommends that the Australian Government support research and data gathering regarding the impact of social media on health and wellbeing to build upon the evidence base for policy development.

Recommendation 8

5.147The committee recommends that one of the roles of the previously recommendedDigital Affairs Ministry should be to develop, coordinate and manage funding allocated for education to enhance digital competency and online safety skills.

Recommendation 9

5.148The committee recommends that the Australian Government reports to both Houses of Parliament the results of its age assurance trial.

Recommendation 10

5.149The committee recommends that industry be required to incorporate safety by design principles in all current and future platform technology.

Recommendation 11

5.150The committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislative provisions requiring social media platforms to have a transparent complaints mechanism that incorporates a right of appeal process for complainants that is robust and fair.

Recommendation 12

5.151The committee recommends that the Australian Government ensures adequate resourcing for the Office of the eSafety Commissioner to discharge its evolving functions.