Reddit and Kick are the latest platforms to be added to the list of Australian age-restricted social media outlets.
The law, which came into force on December 10, will impose fines of up to A$50 million on platforms that fail to prevent users under the age of 16 from accessing their content. However, critics fear the required age verification methods will compromise the data privacy of all Australian users.
Privacy issues and circumvention
The impending ban has sparked significant debate, including over how platforms will enforce age restrictions. Critics have raised serious privacy concerns, arguing that the methods required to verify a user’s age could compromise the data of all Australians, not just children.
The law requires companies to implement age assurance technologies, which could involve biometric analysis or the collection of sensitive identity documents, creating new data security risks.
The government said platforms will not need to verify the age of each user, but will have to take “reasonable steps” to detect and remove people under 16. However, the ambiguity of what constitutes “reasonable measures” has left tech companies concerned about compliance.
Electronic Security Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said it would be a “dynamic list”, with more services potentially added as technology evolves.
Furthermore, questions remain about the effectiveness of the law in a globalized digital world.
In other countries where platform-specific bans have been put in place, tech-savvy users often turn to tools like the best VPN to get around the restrictions. A VPN, or virtual private network, can hide a user’s location and IP address, making it difficult for platforms to enforce region-specific rules and age limits.
An evolving digital landscape
The inclusion of Reddit, a large forum of diverse communities, and Kick, a popular live-streaming service known for its gambling content, highlights the challenge regulators face.
Although some platforms like Discord, Roblox and WhatsApp are currently excluded, the e-security commissioner has made it clear that assessments are underway.
A Kick spokesperson told Channel News Asia that while Australia is a small market, the company was founded there and “will continue to engage constructively on these new rules to support fair outcomes: protecting online safety without compromising privacy.”
As the December 10 deadline approaches, the world is watching to see how Australia implements this unprecedented legislation. The government’s goal, according to Commissioner Inman Grant, is to give children “valuable time to learn and grow, free from the powerful, invisible forces of opaque algorithms and endless scrolling.” The long-term impact on youth safety, user privacy and the digital landscape remains to be seen.
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