TLDR version: Controversy over the eSafety Commission’s efforts to take down online content and the News Corp Chair’s recent calls for comprehensive global platform regulation are raising pressure on governments to rein in social media platforms. But it is important to remember that not all social media content regulation is controversial. While individual classification decisions may be controversial, the general principles that govern these decisions are increasingly clear.

The key to successfully implementing such a framework in Australia and New Zealand is to recognise that we cannot “lead the world” because our small markets do not give us much leverage over global players. Instead, we should adopt a fast follower strategy, basing our approach on international precedents from larger markets where regulators have the heft to impose themselves on global social media platforms.