Apple’s New Reporting Feature Empowers Kids to Report Harmful Content and Stay Safe Online
Apple has rolled out a new safety feature allowing Australian children to report unsolicited nude images directly to the company, a significant step welcomed by the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant. This move comes nearly two years after eSafety’s transparency reporting flagged Apple’s lack of essential safety measures on its platforms, prompting calls for better user protections.
Prioritizing Safety by Design
The in-app reporting tool, now available to Australian children by default and to adults on an opt-in basis, reflects Apple’s increased focus on online safety. As Commissioner Inman Grant explained, “Fundamental to Safety by Design and the Basic Online Safety Expectations (BOSE) are easily discoverable ways to report harmful content and abuse.”
The decision to launch the feature in Australia first signals a broader industry shift toward building safety features directly into services from the start. Apple plans to expand the feature globally following this initial release.
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A Timely Solution Amid Growing Online Threats
This measure comes at a critical moment, as children increasingly face risks of grooming, sexual extortion, and exposure to inappropriate content. Apple’s reporting tool, integrated with its existing nudity detection capabilities in services like Messages, AirDrop, and FaceTime, aims to empower children by giving them an easy way to report unwanted content.
The technology performs all nudity analysis on the device, preserving user privacy while providing the option to report offending content. Reports sent to Apple include relevant media and contextual messages, giving the company the necessary information to act swiftly. In serious cases, these reports may be forwarded to law enforcement for intervention, potentially preventing harm to other children.
“It can only take one report to ensure an offender is banned, and significant ongoing and future harm to multiple children prevented,” Inman Grant stressed.
Extending Responsibility Across the Industry
While eSafety commends Apple’s progress, the Commissioner also emphasized the need for Apple and other tech companies to do more to protect users from a wider range of harms, including terrorist content, technology-facilitated abuse, and the proliferation of child exploitation material.
“This is a positive safety innovation,” Inman Grant said. “But we continue to call for Apple to broaden its approach… Other services without these key safety features must follow suit.”
This rollout aligns with eSafety’s wider agenda of encouraging industry accountability through mandatory codes and standards. Phase 1 of these standards will come into force this December, requiring messaging services, dating apps, file-sharing platforms, and other online services to address the risks of harmful material actively.
Additionally, Phase 2 codes—currently under public consultation—aim to enhance protections for children by restricting access to pornography and other inappropriate content.
Industry Standards Set to Raise the Bar
The Australian government has placed pressure on tech companies to meet these evolving standards. Apple’s initiative aligns with these industry expectations, serving as an example for other companies to follow. “Today, more than ever, the Australian community expects technology companies to take all reasonable steps to prevent their products and services being used to store, share, and distribute horrific content,” Inman Grant said.
eSafety’s ongoing use of its transparency powers through the BOSE framework aims to keep these companies accountable, ensuring that platforms are not only compliant but proactive in their safety measures. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Inman Grant added, highlighting the importance of transparency in achieving safer digital environments.
A Safer Digital Future
Apple’s new tool promises to contribute meaningfully to the broader goal of protecting children online. As part of its Communications Safety feature, the reporting mechanism offers more than just a response—it empowers users to act quickly, consult trusted contacts, and access support resources.
By giving children a voice and ensuring swift action, this feature underscores Apple’s commitment to safer online experiences. As companies begin working towards compliance with Australia’s new standards, eSafety hopes these initiatives will lift safety benchmarks across the tech industry.
“eSafety has long encouraged Safety by Design, urging all technology companies to build protections into their products and services,” the Commissioner concluded. “Our aim is to lift all boats.”
This collaboration between regulators and tech giants signals a turning point in online safety—a proactive effort to make the digital world safer for all users, especially children, as they navigate modern technologies.
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