Overview
- Six industry codes were released on Tuesday covering AI chatbots, app stores, social platforms, pornography sites, games and generative-AI tools, with obligations beginning March 9.
- High-risk chatbots and services that host pornography or graphic content must verify users’ ages, while general-purpose chatbots must build in controls to block sexual or self-harm conversations.
- Noncompliance can draw penalties of up to AU$49.5m under the Online Safety Act, with options such as search-delisting orders also available to regulators.
- The commissioner cited reports of 10- and 11-year-olds spending hours with sexualised bots and singled out UK 'nudify' sites used by about 100,000 Australians each month.
- Following age-assurance trials, platforms are expected to be able to identify and deactivate under-16 accounts by December 10 as part of the broader enforcement timeline.