If we force online platforms to control harmful content, where does that leave sex ed?
Current online safety rules are focused on removing harmful content, not on supporting health promotion. Unfortunately, sexual health content is often flagged as “against community standards” and suppressed by platforms – a practice known as shadowbanning.
But Australia’s promised new “digital duty of care” provides an opportunity to remedy that, creating a safe and healthy online environment for all.
This article was published in The Conversation, 3 July 2026