Under new legislation designed to combat online abuse and cyberbullying, the eSafety Commissioner’s powers will be extended.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant told Deborah Knight her agency can compel social media companies to remove harmful content which victimises children.

However, “we now have more adult cyber abuse reports coming in than we do youth-based cyberbullying reports.

“I think the government is seeing the writing on the wall, and will be looking to give us similar powers to help adults.”

Ms Inman Grant criticised the leadership of social networks for deflecting responsibility onto victims and regulators.

With the tools and funds they have, she said, they have a duty to police so-called “dangerous drivers” on their platforms, and install “virtual seatbelts” for their users.

“We need to put some accountability on them.”

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