'Australians are part of the demand': Calls grow for Digital Duty of Care to prevent online child exploitation

Advocates, policymakers, and online safety experts have gathered in Canberra to call for stronger regulations to combat online child sexual abuse, including the introduction of a Digital Duty of Care that would hold technology companies accountable.

The online safety forum held at Parliament House in Canberra highlighted alarming data on the scale of online sexual exploitation of children across the Asia Pacific region. Image source: IJM / Gigi Tupas

Key Points

• In an interview, IJM Australia Senior Lead for Engagement and Partnerships Gigi Tupas said stronger laws are needed to prevent abuse before it happens.
• Tupas also underscored the importance of Australia’s role in addressing the issue, noting that demand from countries like Australia contributes to the persistence of online child exploitation in vulnerable communities.
• A study by the University of New South Wales also found that one in 55 Australian men have engaged in sexually explicit webcamming involving a child, with similar numbers paying for such content.
• In the Philippines, nearly half a million children were trafficked in 2022 alone to produce new child sexual abuse material for paying online customers.

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If you suspect online child abuse, report it to the eSafety Commissioner at esafety.gov.au. If there is immediate danger, call 000, or contact Crime Stoppers Australia on 1800 333 000.