Research and Submission to a Statutory Review

For this project, we developed a comprehensive submission to the Statutory Review of the Online Safety Act 2021, being undertaken by the Australian Government. The submission addressed key issues such as the financial costs and effectiveness of current measures provided for in the act, the impact on free speech and censorship concerns, and the lack of transparency in the eSafety Commissioner's decision-making processes. Our analysis highlighted the need for more proactive strategies and recommended fine-tuning the regulatory framework to enhance effectiveness while maintaining fundamental freedoms. Key recommendations included strengthening proactive measures, improving transparency and accountability, avoiding overreach in expanding powers, and ensuring a balanced approach to user protection and free speech. This submission aimed to influence policy development and drive improvements in online safety regulation.