The Australian federal government is facing criticism for its decision not to implement age verification technology to restrict access to online pornography. The decision comes after the eSafety Commissioner proposed an Age Verification Roadmap (AVR) to the government and two years after calling for evidence to address children’s access to online pornography and age verification techniques.
Last year, two rounds of consultations were conducted, including a cross-sector workshop and a thematic analysis of technology. These consultations concluded that a one-size-fits-all technological solution would not be effective.
In its response to the AVR, the government acknowledged that existing age assurance technologies are still developing and immature. The criteria for viable solutions included reliability without circumvention, comprehensive implementation, and balancing privacy and security without introducing risks to adult users’ personal information.
The response highlighted that many age-verification technologies require personal information, such as government-issued identity documents, or estimate users’ ages from photos, browsing habits, or social media behavior.
It concluded that age assurance technologies do not yet meet all these requirements, making it clear that a decision to mandate age assurance is premature.
Despite the decision not to mandate age verification, the government has promoted industry codes that will require the online industry to take reasonable steps to prevent children from accessing pornography. These codes, some of which were approved in June, will apply to various online sectors, including social media services, messaging, search engines, and more. Phase 1 of these codes, starting on December 16, will require service providers to advise end-users about content filtering products and promptly remove harmful content.
The subsequent Phase 2 will address ‘class 2’ content, including pornography, after which the government will reconsider the potential trial of age assurance technologies.
Age verification technology is just one of many approaches being considered. The eSafety Commissioner has suggested photo and email scanning and emphasized the need for safety and privacy standards, certification, and independent audits of technological tools. The online industry has been directed to design technologies that are easy for children and parents to understand, including how they work and how they handle data.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland stressed the importance of the regulator’s role in registering industry codes or developing standards to protect children online. The government will collaborate with the regulator to ensure the successful implementation of the Online Safety Act and is ready to take further action if the digital industry fails to keep children safe.
