September submission sought proactive detection rules
Jesuit Social Services has welcomed the Federal Government’s Digital Duty of Care bill entering Parliament, but has called for stronger and more specific measures to proactively detect and respond to serious harms.
The group said the bill does not include language requiring digital service providers to proactively detect and deter seriously harmful and illegal material or conduct. That was a key recommendation in Jesuit Social Services’ submission to the draft bill in September.
Chief executive Julie Edwards said: “Jesuit Social Services supports this move to take action against online harm, but it must not water down any protection that we already have in place,”
External experts and harmful content
Edwards said the bill gives the Government and the eSafety Commissioner flexibility to respond to new and emerging harms. She said that was an important step, but added that the bill must set strong, minimum requirements for industry to proactively detect and deter serious harm happening on their platforms.
Edwards said: “Further, digital service providers cannot be relied on to mark their own homework – the bill must require them to engage with external experts as they undertake the required risk assessments.”
Jesuit Social Services said increasing public concern about the manosphere and influencers who share misogynistic content made the requirement critical for providers to address content that promotes hostile attitudes towards women and gender equality.
The organisation said providers must also be compelled to address content which promotes hostile attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community, and racist hate speech.
Edwards said: “Our children deserve a safe online environment, but we know they are being exposed to misogynistic, racist, homophobic and transphobic content online. That has to be stopped.”
She said the community expects digital service providers to start playing a major role in actively stopping online harm.
