Australia’s online safety regulator has warned that several of the world’s largest technology companies still have significant shortcomings in protecting children from online sexual abuse and sexual extortion, despite having access to tools capable of detecting such crimes.
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In its latest transparency report, the eSafety Commission said major technology firms, including Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft and Snap, have not fully implemented available technologies that can identify common coercive language and behavioural patterns used by online predators.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the regulator had repeatedly shared evidence showing how criminal groups were exploiting online platforms and had provided practical recommendations to reduce abuse. However, she said many companies had failed to respond adequately despite the availability of effective technological solutions.
The report comes as Australia continues to strengthen online child safety regulations. In June, the government introduced legislation granting eSafety greater authority to take legal action against digital platforms that fail to comply with rules designed to protect children, including the country’s ban on social media access for users under the age of 16.
According to the regulator, more than 2,000 reports of online sexual extortion were received between July and December 2025, with young men aged 18 to 24 representing the largest group of victims. Earlier research by eSafety also found that more than one in ten teenagers aged 16 to 18 had experienced sexual extortion, with many targeted before turning 16.
The watchdog said several messaging and communication platforms still lack simple and accessible reporting systems for users to report child abuse or sexual extortion. It also noted that technologies capable of detecting livestreamed child sexual abuse are available but are not being consistently used across the industry.
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Despite the concerns, the report acknowledged some progress. Google and Snap have expanded proactive detection of child abuse material, Meta has introduced new grooming detection tools, Discord has strengthened measures against abusive content, and Microsoft has enhanced its ability to detect live abuse during video calls.