Tribune’s note

The Attorney-General has released the exposure draft of the Children's Online Privacy Code for a 60-day public consultation, marking the next operational step in the government's sequenced approach to regulating children's digital safety [TA-260331-attorn-b3b2a16ba6c7]. The Code, developed by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, targets online services — apps, games, educational tools, and websites — that expose children and young people to high privacy risks.

Breaches will carry significant civil penalties under the Privacy Act 1988, giving the instrument real enforcement weight rather than relying on voluntary compliance [TA-260331-attorn-b3b2a16ba6c7]. The Attorney-General has framed the Code as a deliberately targeted safeguard, addressing children's particular vulnerability to online harms rather than a broad regulatory sweep.

The Code is scheduled to take effect by 10 December 2026, slotting into the reform architecture established by the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 and sitting alongside the Social Media Minimum Age obligation that came into force in December 2025 [TA-260331-attorn-b3b2a16ba6c7]. That sequencing — minimum age first, privacy code second — reflects a layered legislative design in which each instrument addresses a distinct exposure point.

The consultation call is addressed to young people, parents, carers, and industry, signalling the Attorney-General's intent to test the draft against the full range of affected parties before the instrument is finalised.

Primary records (1)

The official records this note draws on — the raw primary documents themselves, as published.

MediaDraft Children’s Online Privacy Code releasedMichelle RowlandTuesday 31 March 2026