Australian regulator asks Apple, Meta, Microsoft to share anti-abuse steps

An Australian regulator has sent out legal letters to Meta Platforms, Apple Inc, and Microsoft Corp, demanding they share the strategies that they use for stamping out child abuse material. If they are unable to do so, then they will be facing heavy fines.

The e-Safety Commissioner, an Australian regulatory body that has been set up to protect internet users states that it has used laws that came into effect in January to compel these tech giants to provide details on the measures that they use to detect and remove abusive material within 28 days. It further states that if these companies fail to comply then they will each face a fine of A$555,000 (approximately $383,000) per day.

This step follows Australia’s hardline approach to regulating Big Tech firms since 2021. The country so far has introduced laws to force the Big Tech firms to pay media outlets for displaying their content and laws that require them to provide the government with the details of anonymous accounts which post defamatory material.

Apart from this, all of these Big Tech firms have been facing pressure across the globe for finding a way to monitor encrypted messaging and streaming services for child abuse material without encroaching on user privacy.

"This activity is no longer confined to hidden corners of the dark web but is prevalent on the mainstream platforms we and our children use every day," said commissioner Julie Inman Grant in a statement.

"As more companies move towards encrypted messaging services and deploy features like livestreaming, the fear is that this horrific material will spread unchecked on these platforms," Grant added.

A Microsoft spokesperson has responded to media queries stating that the company has received the letter and plans to respond within the 28-day deadline.

A spokesperson for Meta has also responded stating that it has also received the letter and is currently reviewing it. They also added that the company continues to "proactively engage with the eSafety Commissioner on these important issues."

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Apple is yet to respond to the media queries.

The Australian regulator has referred to the figures provided by the US National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The US National Center has reported that this year it has received 29.1 million reports of child abuse material from internet companies. It states that 160 were from Apple and 22 million were provided by Meta.