Australia/US Joint Council hosts valuable Child Protection workshop

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner and the Department of Homeland Security under the Australia – United States Joint Council on Combating Online Child Sexual Exploitation hosted over 20 technology, non-governmental, academic, and civil society sector organizations for a two-day workshop in early December, aimed at establishing new areas of collaboration to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). 

Held in person at the Homeland Security Investigations Lab in Washington, D.C., the workshop included presentations by industry leaders, roundtable discussions, and breakout groups. 

The Joint Council will build on the outputs of this workshop and continue to work with industry to develop a Safety by Design toolkit to ensure that child safety is prioritized at every stage in the development of online products and services, including in new and emerging artificial intelligence technologies. 

The toolkit is expected to collate best practices and share innovative approaches for companies to tackle online CSEA, while also exploring the challenges and limitations of adopting Safety by Design principles. It is scheduled for publication in mid-2025.

“The scourge of child exploitation covers the world: from India to Pakistan, the Philippines to Australia and Europe to here at home in the United States. This crime is an affront to our most fundamental values. Combatting it in partnership with our allies in government, the private sector and civil society is integral to the DHS mission,” DHS Acting Policy Under Secretary Robert Paschall said.

 “As new and emerging technologies like generative artificial intelligence further highlight the risk of harm to youth, the Joint Council remains steadfast in combatting all forms of child exploitation and abuse. My colleagues and I at DHS were proud to co-lead this workshop. By providing actionable strategies to minimize threats and harms throughout the design, development and deployment of new technologies, the Safety by Design Toolkit will further strengthen the safety and well-being of children around the world.”

This latest Joint Council engagement builds on work led by DHS and the Australian Government to eradicate online CSEA and enhance international cooperation, technological innovation, and public education as these crimes increasingly threaten the safety of children globally. Chaired by U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC MP, the Joint Council brings together U.S. and Australian policy, regulatory, and law enforcement agencies to share best practices and enlist other nations in this critical fight to ensure the safety and well-being of children all over the world.

Speaking on behalf of Australia eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said “We’ve reached a tipping point in online safety, particularly in protecting children from online harms. Safety by Design is no longer just a boardroom concept – it needs to be a regular part of the conversation in parliaments and classrooms.”

“That is why we were so pleased to co-lead this workshop with the United States Department of Homeland Security demonstrating that companies, governments, and regulators can work together to build safer technology platforms, especially on this most critical of issues: protecting children from online sexual exploitation and abuse.”

In Australia, if you think a child is in immediate danger call Triple Zero (000). Anonymous reports can be made to Crime Stoppers at https://crimestoppers.com.au or call their toll-free number 1800 333 000. 

To report online child sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse material, please contact the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation and use the Report Abuse button at https://www.accce.gov.au/report. You can also report illegal content, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse material, to the eSafety Commissioner at https://www.esafety.gov.au/report/how-to-report-serious-online-abuse-illegal-restricted-content