- Australia’s social media ban comes into effect on Wednesday, November 10
- Some social media platforms will start removing accounts this week
- Experts warn of significant compromises in privacy and security
Australia’s historic social media ban will be implemented next week. From December 10, popular social media platforms – including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube – will be required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent people under the age of 16 from using their services. If they fail to do so, they face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (approximately US$32 million).
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the legislation responds to a “moral imperative” to protect children online. “We are firmly on the side of the parents and not the platforms,” Wells told the BBC.
However, the privacy risks of mandatory age checks worry experts. “Age verification systems are surveillance systems that threaten everyone’s privacy and anonymity. But the Australian government has recently decided to ignore these dangers,” said the US-based civil society organization the EFF.
Details regarding the specific age verification methods to be used are still emerging. However, it seems that some are trying to get ahead of the problem and introduce measures as early as possible.
Meta announced that it will begin disabling existing accounts this week. It said it would notify affected accounts to “give them the opportunity to back up their contacts and memories” before the deadline.
The company argued that using App Store-level verification methods would have been more effective than platform-specific measures. While an initial investigation by The Guardian indicates its video selfie platform is working successfully for some, results from the Australian government’s Age Assurance technology trial suggest facial age estimation systems may be less effective for Indigenous Australians and those closer to the age of 16.
TikTok and Snap said they would use behavior tracking technologies to predict a user’s age. “Where we identify someone who says they are 25, but whose behaviors indicate they are under 16, from December 10 we will have those accounts disabled,” Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok’s head of public policy for Australia, told PK Press Club.
Snapchat has since started implementing age verification checks ahead of the December 10 introduction date. To verify the user’s age, the platform offers two options: ConnectID, which validates identity via existing banking data, or k-ID, which uses government identification and facial scanning technology.
During the initial two-year review, the methods used may change. “It’s not a cure, it’s a treatment plan, and treatment plans will always evolve as we can adapt and address the damage and see what works and what doesn’t,” Wells told the BBC.
Privacy Implications of Age Verification
As each platform adopts different tools to verify user age, it is difficult to assess the overall impact on user privacy.
Although some tools are likely to be more privacy-preserving than others, almost all involve the collection and analysis of sensitive data, ranging from official documents to biometric analysis or behavioral analysis.
Cybersecurity expert Stacey Edmonds has warned that mass collection of this data could lead to an increase in scams. “What is the first thing scammers and predators want from us?” Our personal data and information…and we disclose it,” Edmonds told ABC.
Dr Catherine Page Jeffery, senior lecturer in media and communications at the University of Sydney, echoed these concerns in a statement: “Young people and parents are skeptical that this will work and are concerned about data privacy and security. »
Workarounds could endanger children’s safety
As with similar restrictions seen in the UK and several US states – most recently in Missouri – there is also likely to be an increase in demand for VPNs across Australia in the coming week. However, this rush to circumvent restrictions could lead users into dangerous territory.
“Many people will search for a free VPN and download a host of other anti-spam software onto your computer or phone, creating additional risks of data breaches,” Daswin De Silva, professor of AI and analytics at La Trobe University, told ABC News.
Given the risks associated with using many free VPNs, it’s important to use a reputable brand. At TechRadar, we recommend NordVPN and Surfshark as the best VPN available.
“It’s going to look a little messy along the way,” Minister Wells said. “Major reforms are always the case.” However, the Internet is particularly complicated, and interfering with one element almost always leads to unintended consequences elsewhere.
