This episode discusses Australia’s groundbreaking social media minimum age law, which mandates that platforms block users under 16. The conversation explores the implications of this law on free expression, mental health, cyberbullying, and the responsibilities of both the government and parents. It also delves into the enforcement challenges and the potential impact on adult users’ privacy, while considering alternative approaches to protecting children online without infringing on their rights.

Add resources here from Word document and also my Guardian article. Also update graphic and transcript before publishing.

The post Beyond the Filter: Australia’s Under 16 Social Media Ban appeared first on Center for Online Safety and Liberty.

In this special edition of Beyond the Filter, hosts Brandy Brightman and Jeremy Malcolm present the global launch of the Drawing the Line Watchlist—a groundbreaking report examining how ten countries around the world are increasingly blurring the line between personal expression (art, fiction, advocacy, consensual adult material) and lived abuse involving real victims.

Joined by three members of the project’s Advisory Board—Emma Shapiro, Ashley Remminga, and Zora Rush—this live podcast-webinar explores how censorship, moral panic, and poorly drafted laws are reshaping the digital landscape for artists, queer communities, and marginalized creators.

Together, the panel unpacks:

• Why fictional content is being conflated with real sexual abuse, and how law enforcement resources are being redirected away from crimes with actual victims
• How artists, especially those depicting bodies or erotic themes, face uneven and often punitive moderation
• The impact of moral panics on queer and trans fandom spaces, and the historical roots of these controversies
• How AI systems struggle with context, nuance, and cultural bias—and what it means for sexual expression and safety online
• Examples of global overreach, including prosecutions of artists, writers, and even teenagers for fictional material
• Five key reforms governments should adopt to restore clarity, protect children, and uphold human rights

Guests share on-the-ground insights from their domains—arts advocacy, queer cultural research, and responsible AI—while Jeremy previews the Watchlist’s findings, including startling shifts in enforcement patterns and international case studies.

The conversation closes with actionable recommendations for policymakers, platforms, and civil society about how to genuinely keep children safe without eroding creative and queer expression.

For the full report and the Drawing the Line Principles, visit: drawingthelineprinciples.org.

You can also watch this episode as a webinar, with bonus live Q&A content.

The post Beyond the Filter: Drawing the Line Watchlist appeared first on Center for Online Safety and Liberty.

Hosts Brandy and Jeremy talk with Dr. Craig Harper of Nottingham Trent University about his research on whether fantasy sexual materials—like AI-generated images, cartoons, or sex dolls—are linked to real-world offending.

Dr. Harper explains that, despite common policy assumptions, there’s no evidence such materials increase risk. Across multiple studies, his team has found no connection between fictional sexual content and offending, and in some cases, higher sexual satisfaction may even relate to lower self-reported risk.

He discusses the ethical limits of this research, why criminalization may target low-risk individuals, and how therapists can thoughtfully navigate disclosures about fantasy material use. Harper also addresses the backlash researchers face when data challenge moral intuitions, urging listeners to base prevention efforts on evidence, not instinct.

The post Beyond the Filter: Fantasy Sexual Materials and Offending appeared first on Center for Online Safety and Liberty.