Online Safety Act 2025 · Updated to 22 May 2025 · Part IV · Reporting of Harmful Content
22. Report to licensed applications service provider and licensed content applications service provider on priority harmful content
Feedback & supportWhere the report made by a user under subsection 21(1)
user
“user” means— (a) a user of the applications service provided by a licensed applications service provider; or (b) a user of the content applications service provided by a licensed content applications service provider;
is not dismissed under subsection 21(3) or (6) and the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider is of the opinion that the content being the subject matter of the report is a priority harmful content, the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider shall immediately make the content inaccessible on its service to all users for a period as may be prescribed.
licensed applications service provider
“licensed applications service provider” means an applications service provider licensed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998;
Before the period referred to in subsection (1) expires, the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider shall determine on reasonable grounds if the content made inaccessible on its service under subsection (1) is a priority harmful content.
licensed content applications service provider
“licensed content applications service provider” means a content applications service provider licensed under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998;
Where the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider determines under subsection (2) that the content made inaccessible on its service under subsection (1)—
content
“content” has the meaning assigned to it in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998;
is a priority harmful content, the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider shall, within the period as may be prescribed, make the priority harmful content be permanently inaccessible on its service to all users; or
is not a priority harmful content, the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider may, within the period as may be prescribed, make the content accessible again on its service to all users.
Any action taken by the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider under this section shall be notified in writing to the user who made the report regarding the content and the user who communicated the content on the service of the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider.
The user who is aggrieved by the action taken by the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider under this section may, by request to the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider, inquire into such action from the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider within the period as may be prescribed.
prescribed
“prescribed” means prescribed by the Minister by regulations made under this Act;
Upon receipt of the inquiry from the aggrieved user under subsection (5), the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider may review its decision on the action taken in relation to the inquiry.
Any decision of the licensed applications service provider or licensed content applications service provider made under subsection (6) in respect of the inquiry shall be notified in writing to the aggrieved user within the period as may be prescribed.