The House of Representatives Select Committee on Social Media and Online Safety was established on 1 December 2021, with a final report to be presented on or before 15 February 2022.
The Committee's Terms of Reference require it to inquire into:
(a) the range of online harms that may be faced by Australians on social media and other online platforms, including harmful content or harmful conduct;
(b) evidence of: (i) the potential impacts of online harms on the mental health and wellbeing of Australians; (ii) the extent to which algorithms used by social media platforms permit, increase or reduce online harms to Australians; (iii) existing identity verification and age assurance policies and practices and the extent to which they are being enforced;
(c) the effectiveness, take-up and impact of industry measures, including safety features, controls, protections and settings, to keep Australians, particularly children, safe online;
(d) the effectiveness and impact of industry measures to give parents the tools they need to make meaningful decisions to keep their children safe online;
(e) the transparency and accountability required of social media platforms and online technology companies regarding online harms experienced by their Australians users;
(f) the collection and use of relevant data by industry in a safe, private and secure manner;
(g) actions being pursued by the Government to keep Australians safe online; and
(h) any other related matter.
It thus covers much the same ground as a succession of parliamentary inquiries and other consultations, notably by and regarding the eSafety Commissioner.
