The Albanese Government is further strengthening its world-leading online safety laws to protect Australians from the harms of predatory technology, including nudification and undetectable online stalking tools.
These abhorrent technologies are becoming more widespread, exposing more Australian adults and children to life-changing harm.
That's why the Albanese Government will work to restrict access to "nudify" and undetectable online stalking tools, engaging closely with industry on how best to achieve this.
This action will help to address current gaps in the law when it comes to proactively preventing abuse facilitated by evolving technologies.
It will complement current state and Commonwealth laws prohibiting stalking and the distribution of non-consensual, sexually explicit materials, and build on our work to protect young Australians online through the social media minimum age law and the forthcoming Digital Duty of Care.
Like the social media minimum age law, the onus will be on the tech companies to prevent the availability of these tools.
The Government will work with industry to develop and deliver the reforms, alongside our work on the Digital Duty of Care, while ensuring legitimate and consent-based artificial intelligence and online tracking services are not inadvertently impacted.
Taking action on nudification and undetectable stalking services was a recommendation in the Report of the statutory review of the Online Safety Act 2021. The government is considering further recommendations of the review.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, Anika Wells:
"There is a place for AI and legitimate tracking technology in Australia but there is no place for apps and technologies that are used solely to abuse, humiliate and harm people, especially our children.
"That's why the Albanese Government will use every lever at our disposal to restrict access to nudification and undetectable online stalking apps and keep Australians safer from the serious harms they cause.
"This is too important for us not to act. Abusive technologies are widely and easily accessible and are causing real and irreparable damage now.
"These new, evolving, technologies require and a new, proactive, approach to harm prevention- and we'll work closely with industry to achieve this.
"While this move won't eliminate the problem of abusive technology in one fell swoop, alongside existing laws and our world-leading online safety reforms, it will make a real difference in protecting Australians."
