Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, has imposed a $610,500 AUD fine on X (formerly Twitter) for failing to adequately respond to questions regarding child sexual exploitation content on its platform. Tech giant Google was also found to have committed similar infractions, but was only issued a formal warning as its case was deemed less severe.
The penalty was announced after X failed to provide detailed answers to several critical questions, such as how quickly it responds to child exploitation reports, the systems it has in place for detecting abuse in live streams, and the technologies used to identify exploitative content. X also did not clarify how many staff remain in its safety and public policy teams following Elon Musk’s acquisition and major job cuts in late 2022.
eSafety Flags Major Transparency Failures
In a statement on Monday, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant emphasized that child sexual abuse online is a growing global crisis, and tech companies have a moral and social duty to actively prevent such content from spreading on their platforms.
“We cannot expect accountability without transparency,” Grant stated, noting that previous investigations into companies like Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and WhatsApp revealed serious shortcomings in tackling the issue. The most recent review uncovered similar gaps among five additional companies.
Grant warned that without visible, measurable efforts, tech firms are failing in their responsibilities to protect children from predators and abuse facilitated through their services.
X and Google Breach Compliance
eSafety said both X and Google did not comply with notices sent to them under the Basic Online Safety Expectations framework. While Google responded, its answers were often vague, overly general, or aggregated, instead of being specific to services as requested.
X, in contrast, was deemed to have offered no substantial responses to key queries, leading to the fine. The company has been given 28 days to either pay the penalty or appeal for its withdrawal.
Grant criticized both firms for their lack of clarity and transparency, especially considering X’s public claim that tackling child abuse content is its top priority.
Nigerian Authorities Eye Regulation
In Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is also taking steps toward regulating social media, though specific policies on child protection remain undefined.
Last week, NBC disclosed that it is currently engaging with major social platforms to curb harmful online behaviors. Francisca Aiyetan, Director of Broadcast Monitoring, noted that young users are especially vulnerable to misinformation and exploitation, and emphasized the importance of regulatory frameworks. NBC has already submitted a bill to the National Assembly to formalize such oversight.
By holding tech companies accountable and pushing for transparency, both Australia and Nigeria are signaling a firmer stance on online safety, especially for vulnerable children exposed to harmful digital content.
