Australia Finds Serious Gaps in Big Tech's Fight Against Online Child Sexual Abuse | ChatZyr

Australia's online safety regulator has identified significant shortcomings in how major technology companies, including Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Discord and Snap, detect and prevent online child sexual abuse and sexual extortion, despite existing technologies capable of identifying many forms of abuse.

The findings were published on Tuesday in the latest transparency report by Australia's eSafety regulator, which said several platforms are failing to fully deploy tools that can detect grooming behaviour, coercive language and known tactics commonly used by online predators.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the regulator had repeatedly provided technology companies with evidence showing how criminals exploit their services, along with practical recommendations to reduce abuse. Despite those efforts, she said several platforms have not responded adequately, even though effective detection technologies are already available.

The report follows Australia's recent move to strengthen online safety laws by giving eSafety greater powers to take legal action against technology companies that fail to comply with regulations, including the country's social media restrictions for users under the age of 16.

Sexual extortion, in which offenders threaten to publish intimate images unless victims comply with their demands, remains one of the fastest-growing online threats. Between July and December 2025, Australia's eSafety regulator received more than 2,000 complaints, with young adults aged 18 to 24 accounting for the highest number of reported cases. Previous research also found that more than one in ten teenagers aged 16 to 18 had experienced sexual extortion, while over half of those victims were first targeted before turning 16.

Investigators also identified persistent weaknesses in reporting systems across services such as WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord and Google Messages. The report said some platforms still lack clear reporting tools or dedicated reporting categories for child sexual abuse and sexual extortion. It also found that technologies capable of detecting livestreamed child sexual abuse are not being consistently deployed across the industry.

Despite the criticism, the regulator acknowledged progress by several companies. Google and Snap have strengthened proactive detection of known child sexual abuse material, Discord has expanded blocking of links to abusive content, Meta has introduced new tools to detect online grooming, and Microsoft has enhanced its ability to identify abuse during video calls.

Why it matters: The findings are expected to increase global pressure on technology companies as governments push for stronger safeguards, greater accountability and improved protection for children against online exploitation and cyber-enabled abuse.

Published on ChatZyr.net

Written By Technology Desk | Team ChatZyr

Disclaimer: This report is based on information obtained from credible and publicly available sources at the time of publication. Details may evolve as further official confirmations and investigations emerge.