Cooperative

Arrangementfor

ComplaintsHandlingon

Social NetworkingSites

Table of Contents

1 / CooperativeArrangementfor ComplaintsHandlingonSocialNetworkingSites……….... / 2
2Background……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..…3
3Cooperative ArrangementPrinciples………………………………………………………………………….…...4
4Participating Social NetworkingSites…………………………………………………………………..……….…...5
5Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……6

Cooperative

Arrangementfor Complaints Handlingon

SocialNetworking

Sites

Background

Australia has a healthyandpromisingdigital economywhichissettoprovidefurthergrowthand opportunity. Intakingadvantage ofthisopportunity, itis important thatall Australians areequipped and empowered tobecapable digital citizens.

Beingacapabledigital citizen is abouthavingthe necessaryskills tobe smart,safeandresponsibleonline. Capable digital citizenshavetheskills andknowledgeto takeadvantageof theopportunitiesoftheonline worldwhileminimisingtherisksthatcanarise.Digitalcitizenshipisalsoaboutbeingapositivecontributorto onlinecommunities.Forexample,constructivelysharingviews, creatingandratingcontent, commenting on articlesandreportingcontent thatmaybeinappropriate.Theseactive modesof participationaretobe preserved andencouraged.

Promotingdigital citizenshiprequires acollaborativeeffort-it isa shared responsibilityand weall havea

roletoplay. Thereareawiderangeof stakeholdersincludingyoungpeople, parents,teachers,onlineservice providers,theprivatesector,governmentsandnon-governmentalorganisations.The mosteffective approachisfor stakeholders toconsultandcollaborate.

TheprovidersofSocialNetworkingSites (SNS) orserviceswith SNS-likefunctionality, listed attheendofthis document sharea commongoal tosupportandempower all Australians tobegooddigital citizens. Inpursuit of this goal,theyarerecordingherea cooperativearrangementfor complaintshandlingonSNS that builds

onexistingcooperativeprocesses.This arrangement isvoluntaryandnon-binding. SNS recognisethata complaintshandlingsystemwhichistangible,helps tobuildtheconfidenceof usersandpromotegood digital citizenship.

Implementationof this cooperativearrangementistoreflectthenatureof eachparticularSNS andistobe assessedbyeach provider independently. This cooperativearrangement is intended to supportthe SNS’ existingpoliciesandprocesses,reflectunderstandingof howeach SNSoperatesandprovideforflexibility, notingtheneedto avoida prescriptiveapproach.

This cooperativearrangement isnottoimpact onanylaw enforcementor Attorney-General’sDepartment

arrangementswith theproviders.

Principles

Policiesforacceptableuse

1. Theseproviderswillhaveinplacepoliciesfor acceptable use,whichmaybereferredtobyterms such as communityguidelines,termsof use,codesofconduct orsimilar.They willprovideclearinformation aboutwhatconstitutesinappropriatebehaviour on thesite.This informationshouldbeeasilyaccessible andincludeinformationabouttheconsequencesof breachingtheacceptableusepolicy.

Complaintsmechanisms

2. Theseproviderswillhavemechanisms for reportinginappropriatecontent, contactor behaviour as outlined intheir policiesfor acceptableuse.Providers will enableusers tohaveaccesstoinformation theyneedtomakeaneffectivereportand,whereappropriate,an indication of howreportsaretypically handled.

Review processes

3. Theseproviderswillhaveaprocess for reviewingandactingoncomplaintspromptly, asappropriatein the circumstances. Thisprocess shouldbeadapted tothescaleatwhichtheSNS operates.Theproviders willbuildsystems andprovidetrained staff toassessissues onacasebycasebasis in accordancewith

the providers’policies.A user’snon-compliancewith policiesforacceptable usemayhaveconsequences includingremovalofcontent,suspensionorclosure of their account.Sanctions for a breachof a provider’s policieswill inallcasesbedetermined bytheprovider.

Childabusematerial

4. Theseproviderswill removechildabusematerial in accordancewiththe providers’ child abusepolicies as soonastheyaremadeawareof it.Uponreceipt ofnotificationof alleged childabusematerial, they willimplement effectiveprocessestoexpeditiouslyreviewthatmaterial andtakesuchotheractions as appropriate.Theywill continuetomakereferrals ofthis materialtotheappropriateauthorities, includingtolawenforcement.

Identifiedcontactperson

5. Theseproviderswillhaveacontactperson(s)with whomtheAustralianGovernmentcandiscussissues andanyappropriatemessagingto thecommunityandmediain responsetoissues astheyarise.Thisis particularlyimportantwhereanissueisof publicinterestandassuch, requires promptattention.

Educationandawarenessraising

6. Theseproviderswillencouragetheir userstounderstandthefunctionalityonthe site, includingreporting tools. Theywillprovideclear guidancedesignedtogivepeople thetools, knowledgeandskills to

navigatetheir servicessafely.

7. Theseproviderswilltakesteps tohelpusersbeawareof theimportanceof beingsmart,safeand responsibleonline.

Collaborationwith Governmentoneducationandawarenessraisinginitiatives

8. Theseproviderswillcontributeto, supportandcollaboratewiththeAustralianGovernment, as appropriate,onrelevantcybersafetyinitiatives.

Continuedinnovation

9. Theseproviderswillinnovatetoprovideusefulservices thatpromoteuser safety.

Transparency

10.Theseproviderswilleach provide information onhowtheygiveeffect tothis cooperativearrangement

(seeappendix).

11.Theseproviderswillmeetwith governmentofficialsonabilateralbasis everysixmonths todiscuss trends and emergingissues.

12.TheseproviderswillprovidetheConsultativeWorkingGrouponCybersafetywithinformationontrends andemergingissueseverytwelve months.

ParticipatingSNS(asat16 January 2013)

Facebook

Google(YouTube)

Microsoft

Yahoo!

Cooperative Arrangement for Complaints Handling

on Social Networking Sites

Appendix

[SNS name]

Intheinterestsoftransparency, providerssupportingthe CooperativeArrangement forComplaints HandlingonSocial NetworkingSitesagreetoprovideinformationonhowtheygiveeffectto the Principles in relationto thesocialnetworkingservicestheyoffer, usingthis form.

1. Aboutthe SocialNetworkingService(s)

[Brief outlineof thesocialnetworkingservicesoffered]

2. Howwill theprovidergiveeffecttothecomplaintshandlingaspectof theCooperative

Arrangement?

3. Otheractions taken on implementation of these arrangements?

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