Foreword from the Chair 

Since March 2022, the Digital Platform Regulators Forum (DP-REG) has facilitated a streamlined and collaborative approach to digital platform regulation in Australia. 

Our members, comprising of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), collaborate and share information on cross-cutting digital platforms issues with the aim of mitigating the risks and harms to Australians, influencing the regulation of digital platforms and reducing the regulatory burden for industry.   

This includes consideration of how competition, consumer protection, privacy, online safety and data issues intersect, with a focus on fostering a safe, trusted, fair, innovative, and competitive digital environment in Australia.

Over the 2024-25 financial year, we have seen an exponential rise in the development and take-up of generative AI products and services offered across digital platforms. While these new offerings present opportunities for innovation and growth for Australians, collaboration across DP-REG allows members to develop a balanced and cohesive approach to dealing with evolving and persistent harms across the digital platforms space. 

In this period, DP-REG delivered its strategic priorities through collaborating on and increasing members’ regulatory and information sharing capabilities, engaging with industry and government to respond to emerging risks and opportunities with new technology, and facilitating dialogue and conversation with civil society, academia, and other key stakeholders. 

I am pleased to highlight our key activities and achievements throughout the 2024-25 financial year, and take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in driving the work of DP-REG. The forum continues to play a key role in driving better outcomes for digital platform regulation in Australia for the benefit of all participants in the digital economy.

Nerida O’Loughlin PSM
DP-REG Chair 
Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority 

Key activities 

Across the 2024-25 financial year, DP-REG pursued a range of activities to achieve our goals of building capacity, promoting regulatory coherence, and responding to emerging risks and opportunities across the digital regulation space. 

Examining benefits, risks and implications of AI technology 

  • In August 2024, DP-REG published the Examination of technology – Multimodal Foundation Models (MFMs) paper as part of our joint work to understand emerging digital platform technologies. The paper looks at the regulatory frameworks, challenges and implications of MFMs across each members’ remit and informed our submission to the Australian Government’s proposal paper on mandatory guardrails for AI in high-risk settings. 
  • In October 2024, DP-REG members lodged a joint submission on the Australian Government’s proposals paper for introducing mandatory guardrails for AI in high-risk settings. The submission commented on the proposed regulatory options to mandate guardrails for AI in high-risk settings and highlights DP-REG’s work to date in developing an understanding of the opportunities and impacts arising out of the uptake of AI technologies in Australia. 
  • DP-REG commenced work on a working paper on immersive technologies. This is a new area in our examination of technology working papers.  

Collaboration and capacity building 

  • DP-REG members continue to collaborate and build capability through internal skills sharing sessions, which focus on enhancing information sharing and understanding around research, data and codes and policy development. 
  • In June 2025, DP-REG published a joint statement on the release of the ACCC’s final report of its Digital Platform Services Inquiry, which marked the conclusion of a five-year inquiry into digital platform services. The statement highlighted the work of DP-REG members to support the ACCC’s analysis and findings.
  • DP-REG continues to actively participate in the International Network for Digital Regulation Cooperation with our regulator counterparts from the UK, Canada, Ireland and the Netherlands. Our engagement focuses on sharing insights on cross-cutting digital platforms issues, harmonising standards and promoting best practices for digital regulation and innovation across borders. 
  • DP-REG continues to collaborate on the development of our members’ consumer research activities, such as the ACMA’s Annual Consumer Survey. 
  • Throughout 2025, DP-REG participated in a series of learning and development panel discussions coordinated by Dr Rob Nicholls from the University of Sydney, facilitating dialogue with civil society, industry and academia. These sessions focused on a range of themes including generative AI, digital literacy, and emerging technologies.

Stakeholder engagement 

  • In July 2024, DP-REG provided a joint submission to the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society. 
  • In October 2024, DP-REG Regulator Heads participated in an International Institute of Communications (Australian Chapter) panel discussion. This event is considered by the IIC as an anchor event each year and attracts the most registrations. The discussion focused on our collective work over the past 12 months and some of the ongoing challenges and upcoming opportunities for digital platform regulation.