Restricted Access Systems Declaration 2014

Broadcasting Services Act 1992

The AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY makes this Declaration under clause 14 of Schedule 7 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

Dated     15 December 2014

Chris Chapman    Richard Bean

[signed]    [signed]

Chair    Member/General Manager

 

Australian Communications and Media Authority

 


Part 1 Preliminary

1 Name of Declaration

  This Declaration is the Restricted Access Systems Declaration 2014.

2 Commencement

  This Declaration commences on 1 January 2015.

3 Revocation

  This Declaration revokes the Restricted Access Systems Declaration 2007.

4 Definitions

 (1) In this Declaration:

Act means the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

age restricted content means either or both of the following:

 (a) MA 15+ content;

 (b) R 18+ content.

applicant means a person who makes a request for access to age restricted content under paragraph 7 (1) (a) or subsections 12 (1) or (2).

 (2) In this Declaration, the following expressions have the same meaning as in Schedule 7 to the Act:

 access‑control system

 designated content/hosting service provider

 MA 15+ content

 R 18+ content

 restricted access system

 service.

5 Purpose of Declaration

 (1) Under subclause 14 (1) of Schedule 7 to the Act, the ACMA may, by legislative instrument, declare that a specified access‑control system is a restricted access system in relation to content for the purposes of Schedule 7 to the Act.

 (2) This Declaration declares specified access‑control systems to be restricted access systems in relation to content for the purposes of Schedule 7 to the Act.


Part 2 MA 15+ content

6 Minimum requirements of an access‑control system — MA 15+ content

 (1) For subclause 14 (1) of Schedule 7 to the Act, an access‑control system is specified in relation to MA 15+ content if it:

 (a) requires an application for access to MA 15+ content, as described in section 7; and

 (b) provides warnings and safety information for MA 15+ content, as required by section 8; and

 (c) limits access to MA 15+ content, as required by section 9.

 (2) A specified access‑control system is declared to be a restricted access system for MA 15+ content.

7 Applying for access to MA 15+ content

 (1) The access‑control system must require an applicant who seeks access to MA 15+ content:

 (a) to apply for access; and

 (b) to provide a declaration that the applicant is at least 15 years of age.

 (2) The application must be made:

 (a) in writing; or

 (b) in electronic form; or

 (c) orally.

 (3) The declaration must be provided:

 (a) in writing; or

 (b) in electronic form.

8 Provision of warnings

  For each application for access under section 7, the access‑control system must provide to an applicant:

 (a) a warning about the nature of MA 15+ content; and

 (b) safety information about how a parent or guardian may control access to MA 15+ content by persons under 15 years of age.

9 Limiting access

 (1) The access‑control system must only provide access to MA 15+ content where:

(a)    the access‑control system has:

(i)      verified that, at the time the applicant applies for access to the content, the applicant has applied for access and provided a declaration as described in section 7; and

(ii)     provided the warning and safety information described in section 8; or

(b)    the applicant has been provided with a Personal Identification Number or other means of limiting access to the content which enables the access-control system to verify that:

(i)      the applicant has previously applied for access and provided a declaration as described in section 7; and

(ii)     the access-control system has previously provided the applicant with the warning and safety information described in section 8.

 (2) If the applicant has previously submitted to:

 (a) the designated content/hosting service provider providing the content; or

 (b) a person acting on behalf of the designated content/hosting service provider providing the content,

  a declaration that the applicant is at least 15 years of age, that declaration is sufficient for the purposes of section 7.

 (3) For subsection (2) providing the content includes providing, hosting or providing a link to the content.


Part 3 R 18+ content

10 Minimum requirements of an access‑control system — R 18+ content

 (1) For subclause 14 (1) of Schedule 7 to the Act, an access‑control system is specified in relation to R 18+ content, or R18+ and MA 15+ content if it:

 (a) requires an application for access to R 18+ content, as described in section 11; and

 (b) provides warnings and safety information for R 18+ content, as required by section 12; and

 (c) incorporates reasonable steps to confirm the age of applicants, as required by section 13; and

 (d) limits access to:

(i)      R 18+ content; or

(ii)    R 18+ content and MA 15+ content;

  as required by section 14.

 (2) A specified access‑control system is declared to be a restricted access system for R 18+ content or for MA 15+ content and R 18+ content.

11 Applying for access to R 18+ content

 (1) The access‑control system must require an applicant who seeks access to R 18+ content;

(a)    to apply for access; and

(b)    to provide a declaration that the applicant is at least 18 years of age.  

(2)  The application must be made:

 (a) in writing; or

 (b) in electronic form; or

 (c) orally.

(3) The declaration must be provided:

 (a) in writing; or

 (b) in electronic form.

 

12 Provision of warnings

  For each application for access under section 11, the access‑control system must provide to an applicant:

 (a) a warning about the nature of R 18+ content; and

 (b) safety information about how a parent or guardian may control access to R 18+ content by persons under 18 years of age.

13 Confirmation of age

  The access-control system must incorporate reasonable steps to confirm that an applicant is at least 18 years of age.

 

14 Limiting access

 (1) The access‑control system must only provide access to R 18+ content, or R18+ and MA 15+ content, where:

(a)    the access-control system has:

(i)      verified that, at the time the applicant applies for access to the content, the applicant has applied for access and provided a declaration as described in section 11; and

(ii)     provided the warning and safety information described in section 12; and

(iii)   verified that the applicant has met the confirmation of age requirements as described in section 13; or

(b)    the applicant has been provided with a Personal Identification Number or other means of limiting access to the content which enables the access-control system to verify that the applicant has:

(i)      previously applied for access and provided a declaration as described in section 11; and

(ii)     previously been provided with the warning and safety information described in section 12; and

(iii)   previously met the confirmation of age requirements described in section 13.

 (2) If the applicant has previously submitted to:

 (a) the designated content/hosting service provider providing the content; or

 (b) a person acting on behalf of the designated content/hosting service provider providing the content,

 information which confirms that the applicant is at least 18 years of age, the access-control system is not required to take any further steps to confirm the applicant’s age in order to provide access to R 18+ content.

 (3) For subsection (2) providing the content includes providing, hosting or providing a link to the content.

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