Early next year the federal government will release basic online safety expectations for tech companies about their responsibilities to Australians, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said on Wednesday.

The statement would include a note to all platforms that they are expected to protect Australian children from online harm, the minister added.

The expectations will come in addition to the new Online Safety Act set to take effect from January 2022.

The laws will give the eSafety commissioner new powers to require tech companies to report how they are responding to online harms.

It will also create a 24-hour time frame in which platforms are required to respond to a "take down" notice from the eSafety commissioner.

"In the physical town square ... and in the digital town square, people have a right to be protected by the rule of law," Mr Fletcher told parliament.

"(The government is) taking action to make the internet a safe place for Australian children."

Australian Associated Press