The concept of ‘reasonable steps’ is embedded throughout Australian digital platform regulation. Yet, despite being a widespread concept in the digital regulatory framework, determining what is or is not a reasonable step is not a clear-cut process. As a recent court case highlighted, determining reasonableness can be highly contested, with regulators, digital platforms, politicians and the public often not seeing eye-to-eye. 

However, as discussions about reviewing and strengthening Australia’s regulatory frameworks for digital platforms continue, the concept of ‘reasonable steps’ in the online world is likely to be reinforced across the regulatory landscape. This policy brief reflects discussions from a roundtable of 17 experts from academia and civil society in January 2025, examining the concept of reasonable steps, debating its usefulness and considering whether and how it could be improved.