ACMA Places Obligation On Content Providers

Written by Adam Gosling

Wednesday, 02 January 2008

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has established new rules for providers of MA15+ and R18+ content on mobile phones and the Internet. The declaration places the obligation on the content provider to check the age of the individual accessing the content. The new rules will come into effect from 20 January this year and also include provisions for the ACMA to demand the removal (or restriction) of content if a complaint is received. The rules are the result of legislation passed in July 2007, but are similar to previous obligations relating to stored content says the Authority. ‘In developing these new content rules, ACMA was guided by its disposition to allow adults to continue to read, hear and see what they want, while protecting children from exposure to inappropriate content, regardless of the delivery mechanism,' said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. ‘At the same time, ACMA has been conscious of avoiding unnecessary red tape for Australian businesses providing content,' he said in a statement released by ACMA last year. ACMA also made two associated changes to other legal instruments. First, the existing rules about mobile premium services have been amended to remove content-related provisions, as these will be covered by the new legislation; and the Telecommunications Numbering Plan has also been varied to ensure that requirements for the use of particular phone numbers to assist consumers in recognising age restricted content supplied by premium SMS and MMS continue to operate. These requirements have been removed from the mobile premium service rules by the amendment above. The legislation, passed in the middle of 2007 extend the Broadcasting Act 1992 to allow for regulation of all content services delivered via carriage services irrespective of the platform and whether they consist of user-generated content or otherwise. A copy of the new and amended legal instruments can be found on the ACMA website. Newer news items Moto Gets A Tune And A Ticker -07/03/2008 Nokia Signs Onto Google Mobile Search -12/02/2008 Yahoo! Rushes Forward With oneConnect -12/02/2008 Nokia N95 Now DLNA Certified -21/01/2008 Australian Open Mobile On Optus -13/01/2008 Older news items Remote Record Foxtel From Your Phone -09/12/2007 Nokia Simplifies Mobile Internet Radio -03/12/2007 3 Covers The Cricket -08/11/2007 World Cup Rugby A Hit On Vodafone Mobiles -30/10/2007 3 Cricket Show Produced In-House -29/10/2007 Tag This Now: