Australia’s Social Media Age Ban: Big Tech’s New Nightmare or Kid-Safety Win?
Australia’s eSafety commissioner demands social media platforms employ multiple age assurance techniques to keep kids under 16 off their sites. Despite imperfect tech, platforms must act with “kindness, care and clear communication” when denying access. Failure to comply could lead to substantial fines, much to the chagrin of tech giants.
Hot Take:
Australia is getting serious about age assurance, but it seems like they’re trying to herd cats with a whistle. While platforms are expected to perform digital gymnastics to keep kids away, it feels like they’re being asked to build a sandcastle in a hurricane. Good luck, mates!
Key Points:
- Australia mandates social media platforms to ensure users under 16 are kept off their services starting December 10th.
- The law was passed before fully assessing age assurance technology, causing a stir in tech communities.
- Platforms are advised to use a “waterfall approach” with multiple age-check techniques.
- Techniques include linguistic, visual, and audio analysis, among others.
- Failure to reasonably block under-16s could result in substantial fines for platforms.
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