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On January 25, Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland will facilitate a roundtable discussion to consider measures to better protect Australians while using online dating and matchmaking services.
Rowland said, “Every Australian deserves to live free from harassment and all forms of violence, including when using online dating and matchmaking services.
“Safety on dating apps has been a matter of growing community concern, with recent research by the AIC shining a light on the issue.
State and territorial administrations, law enforcement, representatives from industry, NGOs and other key stakeholders will all be present at the National Roundtable.
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Australians use online dating and matching services and apps to meet new people. However, there is growing community concern over reports of abuse, violence, and other detrimental behaviour from users.
The Australian Institute of Criminology released a report in October revealing that three out of every four survey respondents had been victims of sexual violence in the previous five years, perpetrated by someone they connected with on a dating app or website.
“A key focus of this discussion will be to look at what industry is doing to prevent the exploitation of their services by perpetrators, to identify what more could be done to improve the safety of users, and to consider what further action is required by government and industry to support this,” Rowland said.
Stakeholders will convene at the national roundtable to evaluate policy, regulatory and technological settings that can increase protections for those who use online dating apps and websites, as well as dissuade criminals who are determined to exploit these services to inflict harm.
Australians using dating apps are urged to visit the website of the eSafety Commissioner who has developed practical advice and strategies for safer online dating at: www.esafety.gov.au/women/being-social/online-dating.
Source: The Hon Michelle Rowland MP – Media Releases
Jaw de Guzman is the content producer for Comms Room, a knowledge platform and website aimed at assisting the communications industry and its professionals.
