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It’s all too easy to see content online that is distressing or violent in nature – here’s what you can do if you come across such content.
This is true at any time; the nature of the internet means you can never quite know where a link may lead or what a friend may post online.
And now, with the conflict between Israel and the terrorist organisation Hamas and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it’s easier than ever to find graphic content of conflicts from around the globe.
Thankfully, the Office of the eSafety Commissioner – which today took Twitter/X to task over its lack of transparency when it comes to addressing particularly distressing content – has some important advice.
“Under Australian law, eSafety can issue a takedown notice to an online platform or service to remove the worst type of harmful online material, or block access to protect Australian users from viewing this content,” it said.
In terms of what content is covered by Australian law, here’s a short list:
If you do come across this kind of information, here are four easy steps to follow:
1. Don’t share it
You might have the best intentions, for instance, wanting to highlight injustice, but you may end up distressing other people or even committing a crime if you share this kind of content.
2. Report it
Please report any distressing content you find to the platform that you have seen it on. This gives the platform in question a chance to quickly deal with the content.
3. Report it to eSafety
If the content remains online (Twitter/X has been shown to be underperforming in this area, as we said), report it to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. They can then notify the platform of the content and call for its removal. Failure can have serious consequences.
4. Addressing terrorism and extreme violence
For some content, the best course of action is to contact the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.
You can find even more resources, such as advice for parents and carers, on the eSafety website here.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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