The Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) (“Act”) passed Parliament on 23 July 2021 and commences on 24 January 2022 (being six months after it received royal assent, unless proclaimed earlier). A key element of the Act is the proposed “basic online safety expectations” (“Expectations”), which specify the core expectations (to be determined by the Minister) for:
• social media services;
• relevant electronic services (services that allow communication with other end-users e.g., email, IM, chat and certain gaming services); and
• designated internet services (including, with a few exceptions, those that deliver or allow access to material via an internet carriage service).

In recent years, companies worldwide, including those belonging to the Technology, Media & Telecoms industry, have placed increased importance on ESGs and have shifted their initiatives and operations accordingly. In this episode of TMT Talk, Adrian Lawrence leads our panel of experts in a discussion about aspects of ESG that are relevant to supply chains. Aleesha Fowler, Doug Sanders, and Graham Stuart offer their insights on relevant developments, possible risks, and challenges that TMT companies with global supply chains need to know and consider.

An initiative of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Privacy Awareness Week highlights the importance of protecting personal information and helps organisations navigate the privacy landscape. To mark the importance of this week, Baker McKenzie has partnered with Protiviti to launch a series of podcasts that explore how organisations are making compliance with privacy laws a priority, particularly in the key areas of how they approach data mapping, manage privacy risks and deal with data breaches.

An initiative of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Privacy Awareness Week highlights the importance of protecting personal information and helps organisations navigate the privacy landscape. To mark the importance of this week, Baker McKenzie has partnered with Protiviti to launch a series of podcasts that explore how organisations are making compliance with privacy laws a priority, particularly in the key areas of how they approach data mapping, manage privacy risks and deal with data breaches.

A reminder that submissions on the Government’s draft Online Safety Bill (Bill) close on 14 February.

On 23 December 2020, the Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications began a consultation on the draft Bill. The Bill is designed to consolidate and supplement the range of existing regimes covering online content, most notably the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015 (Cth) (EOSA) and Schedules 5 and 7 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) (BSA).

The Bill introduces an expanded take-down scheme for cyber-bullying and image-based abuse, a new take-down scheme for adult cyber-abuse, a set of basic online safety expectations (BOSE) for online services, a revised online content scheme and a blocking scheme for abhorrent violent material. It also reduces the time for responding to removal notices from 48 hours to 24 hours and incorporates civil penalties for non-compliance in certain circumstances.

If implemented, these proposed changes would increase the imperative for online services to take a pro-active approach and to have in place efficient mechanisms for responding to removal notices.

As TMT businesses plan for 2021 they are building on the opportunities and challenges arising from 2020. Many bold decisions were taken by TMT players in 2020 to protect their workforces and to ensure that they continue to be able to deliver technology, connectivity and digital transformation across sectors. Significant…

As 2020 draws to a close, the Federal Government’s staged media regulatory reform process continues to unfold with numerous reviews underway on aspects of both the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) (BSA) and other related laws.

The Australian Government has released comprehensive terms of reference and an issues paper (“Issues Paper”) as part of its long-awaited review of the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). The review forms part of the government’s response in December 2019 to recommendations in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry (“DPI Report”) to strengthen privacy laws in Australia. It marks the first of two papers seeking public input on the Privacy Act.

COVID-19 is making physical meetings more difficult or undesirable, and all of us are regularly using virtual communications. However, in adopting virtual channels to deliver products and services, financial institutions need to work through issues touching on financial regulation, data privacy and technology.

New regulations to expand the regulatory sandbox for Fintechs have received royal assent and are set to commence 1 September 2020. The Regulations introduce a sandbox with few restrictions than the exemptions currently available which are stated to encourage and support the design and delivery of new financial services in…