BIZARRE: Esafety - What They Never Told You

There are risks when children use AI chatbots. Does Australia’s new ‘digital duty of care’ address them?

We know many children and teens are turning to AI chatbots to answer tricky questions, seek help and even find companionship. An eSafety survey of 1,950 Australian children aged 10 to 17 found 78% had used an AI chatbot and, of those, 54% used them for personal or social reasons.

The Conversation · 1h ago

'Big fakes': watchdog warns of rampant AI scam threat

Artificial intelligence poses major risks to the financial sector and consumers, including by making scams appear more realistic.

AAP · Oct 19

'Abhorrent': PM slams plans for US execution livestream

Anthony Albanese is considering all options to prevent Australians from being exposed to the "completely abhorrent" proposed livestream of a US execution.

AAP · Oct 12

Indigenous grants to fight online and AI-powered abuse

Programs led by First Nations people and aimed at preventing online abuse have been given priority funding by a grants process run by the eSafety Commissioner.

AAP · Sep 30

Australia’s digital duty of care bill needs these three changes to tackle online child sexual exploitation

On September 10, the Australian Federal Police announced the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received 100,194 reports of online child sexual exploitation in 2025–26. That is about 275 a day – a 21% rise over the year before, and up from 36,600 four years ago.

The Conversation · Sep 14

Australia’s social media ban has an enforcement problem. These new laws aim to fix it

In the same week the federal government is preparing to introduce its landmark digital duty of care legislation, it is also returning to some unfinished business: strengthening its social media age restrictions.

The Conversation · Sep 7

Call to embed algorithm opt-in for social 'cesspit'

The Greens are vowing to hold back laws to strengthen Australia's under-16s social media ban until the government introduces digital duty-of-care measures.

AAP · Sep 6

Smartglasses should automatically blur people’s faces while filming, Australia’s online safety regulator says

Smartglasses with cameras can benefit the vision impaired but companies might pit ‘accessibility benefits against safety and privacy’, eSafety says

The Guardian - AU · Aug 30

Roblox has been put on notice yet again over child safety concerns. What do parents need to know?

Online gaming platform Roblox has given a court-enforceable undertaking to Australia’s online safety regulator to do more “to protect children from grooming, sexual exploitation and abuse”.

The Conversation · Aug 20

Australia secures court-enforceable child safety undertaking from Roblox

The agreement marks an incremental win for the eSafety Commissioner as ‌it seeks ⁠to use ⁠its enforcement powers to make online platforms comply with Australia's sweeping child-safety rules, ​including a landmark ban on social media for children under 16.

The Economic Times · Aug 20