The Parent-Child Digital Safety Link (PCDSL) Framework

The Problem: A Flawed Approach to Online Safety

The current Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act enforces a blanket ban that is not only easy for children to circumvent but also creates a significant privacy risk for all Australians. Its biggest flaw is that it forces every single person in Australia—adults, kids, and even tourists—to hand over their sensitive ID to tech giants just to use an app.

This approach replaces parental responsibility with a blunt government mandate, and it won't work.

The Solution: Empowering Parents with Real Tools

The PCDSL framework is a sophisticated safety system, not a simple prohibition. It is a secure, opt-in public-private partnership that gives parents the choice to supervise their children's online activity effectively.

The core of the framework is a central, secure government hub (linked to myGov) where parents can register their child's devices. Online platforms are then required to check this hub and automatically apply a standardized set of robust parental controls to any account used on that device.

This is about giving parents the right tools for the job, not having the government do a poor job of parenting for everyone.

Project Documents & Resources

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The Full Policy Proposal

The complete, detailed policy document submitted to government ministers and the eSafety Commissioner.

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The Simple Explainer

An easy-to-read summary of the framework, explaining how it works and why it's a better solution.

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The Infographic

A visual, single-page infographic that compares the government's ban with the PCDSL framework.

Take Action: Email the Key Decision-Makers

Let the people in charge know you support a smarter approach to online safety. Below is a list of key contacts and a template you can use to email them all at once. You can also contact your local MP.

Key Contacts

Government (Labor):

The Hon. Anika Wells MP, Minister for Communications
The Hon. Mark Dreyfus KC, MP, Attorney-General
The Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Social Services

Opposition (Liberal):

Senator The Hon. Sarah Henderson, Shadow Minister for Communications
Senator The Hon. Michaelia Cash, Shadow Attorney-General
The Hon. Michael Sukkar MP, Shadow Minister for Social Services

Crossbench (Greens) & eSafety:

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Spokesperson for Communications
Senator David Shoebridge, Spokesperson for Digital Rights & IT
Ms. Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner

Email Template:

To: Minister.Wells@mo.communications.gov.au, attorney.general@ag.gov.au, minister.rishworth@dss.gov.au, senator.henderson@aph.gov.au, senator.cash@aph.gov.au, michael.sukkar.mp@aph.gov.au, senator.hanson-young@aph.gov.au, senator.shoebridge@aph.gov.au, enquiries@esafety.gov.au

Subject: A Better Approach to Online Safety - The Parent-Child Digital Safety Link

Dear Ministers, Shadow Ministers, Senators, and Commissioner,

I am writing to express my serious concerns about the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act. While I support the goal of protecting children, the current approach of a blanket ban enforced by invasive age verification is flawed, ineffective, and a significant risk to the privacy of all Australians.

I urge you to consider a smarter, more effective alternative: the ‘Parent-Child Digital Safety Link’ (PCDSL) framework.

This proposal offers a practical, parent-led solution that empowers families with real safety tools, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all ban. It respects parental rights and protects privacy by using a secure, opt-in system through myGov, avoiding the need for every citizen to hand over their ID to tech companies.

This is a superior approach that achieves the government's safety goals without the significant drawbacks. I ask that you give this comprehensive proposal your full consideration in an urgent review of the current legislation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Suburb/Postcode]

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