NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner calls for criminal investigation of tech giants for modern slavery offences

16 October 2023

Welcoming action by Australia's eSafety Commissioner to tackle tech companies' failure to properly address child sexual exploitation material, NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner Dr James Cockayne today called for a criminal investigation of possible modern slavery offences under NSW law.  

The action by the eSafety Commissioner includes fining X – previously Twitter – more than $600,000 for failing to explain how it was fighting the distribution of such materials, and warning Google for providing irrelevant and generic answers to questions from the eSafety Commissioner. 

"I welcome this action by Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant", said the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner, Dr James Cockayne.

"Governments have a duty to protect children from slavery, and companies have a responsibility to respect children's right to be free from slavery", continued Dr Cockayne. "This is an important step to ensure accountability."

"In NSW, however, the production and distribution of child abuse material, and the knowing administration of a digital platform that other people use to distribute such materials, are all modern slavery offences."

"If federal authorities have information that these tech giants are aware that their platforms are being used in NSW to deal with child abuse material, they should refer this matter to NSW Police for investigation under section 91HAA of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW)."