New industry code to protect dating app users from harm now in force

A nation-wide industry code for dating apps -- detailing how they protect users from harm and abuse has come into force.

Transcript

00:00Well, from today, these online dating platforms will have six months to become compliant with

00:06a code of conduct that's designed to increase safety for users.

00:10This is a big issue that's being seen with a 2022 Australian Institute of Criminology

00:15study finding that three out of four people who had been surveyed had been subjected to

00:19sexual violence through dating apps in the five years prior.

00:23This code's been in the works since the beginning of last year and is voluntary for now before

00:27becoming enforceable from April next year.

00:30So this code will require apps to have systems in place to detect potential incidents of

00:34online, enabled harm, and also to take actions against users who violate safety policies.

00:40They'll also have to have prominent and transparent reporting mechanisms and will be required

00:45to tell the e-safety commissioner about how many accounts have been terminated.

00:49They'll also have to engage with law enforcement and escalate threats where there's an imminent

00:53safety risk.

00:54And the apps will also have a new rating system, which will allow users to see how they stack

00:58up against these new safety obligations.

01:01Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says that the government wants to be able to keep

01:04users safer.

01:05We know that self-regulation is often the best and quickest form of regulation in innovative

01:12industries.

01:13But at the same time, of course, we have consistently said that if this code does not deliver the

01:17safety benefits that we expect for Australians, then the government will have no hesitation

01:22in imposing direct regulation on this sector.

01:25So what we want here is outcomes.

01:27We want people to continue to experience and to have the freedom to choose of these apps.

01:31But they do need to be made safer.

01:33For now, this industry code is voluntary, but the e-safety commissioner will be reviewing

01:38it in 2026 to decide if it should be made mandatory.