- Australia’s social media ban begins Wednesday, November 10
- Some social media platforms will begin deleting accounts this week
- Experts warn of important trade-offs between privacy and security
Australia’s historic social media ban will be implemented next week. Starting December 10, popular social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, will be required to take “reasonable measures” to prevent people under 16 from using their services. If they fail to do so, they could face fines of up to $49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately $32 million USD).
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the legislation follows a “moral imperative” to protect children online. “We stand firmly on the side of the parents and not the platforms,” Wells told the BBC.
However, the privacy risks posed by mandatory age checks are causing alarm among experts. “Age verification systems are surveillance systems that threaten everyone’s privacy and anonymity. But the Australian government recently decided to ignore these dangers,” argues the US-based civil society organization EFF.
Details are still emerging about the specific age verification methods that will be used. However, it seems that some are trying to get ahead of the problem and introduce measures early.
Meta announced that it will begin deactivating existing accounts this week. It said it would notify affected accounts to “give them the opportunity to save their contacts and memories” before the deadline.
The company has argued that using verification methods at the app store level would have been more effective than platform-specific measures. While initial investigation by The Guardian indicates its selfie video platform is working successfully for some, results from the Australian government’s age-monitoring technology trial suggest facial age estimation systems may be less effective for indigenous Australians and those closer to age 16.
TikTok and Snap have said they would use behavioral tracking technologies to predict a user’s age. “Where we identify someone who says they are 25 years old, but behaviors indicate they are under 16, from December 10 we will deactivate those accounts,” TikTok’s public policy lead for Australia, Ella Woods-Joyce, told PakGazette.
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 through existing bank details, or k-ID, which uses government identification and facial scanning technology.
During the initial two-year review, the methods used may change. “This is not a cure, it is 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
Since each platform adopts different tools to verify users’ ages, it is difficult to assess the overall impact on people’s privacy.
While some tools are likely to be more privacy-preserving than others, almost all involve the collection and analysis of sensitive data, from official documents to biometric analysis or behavioral analysis.
Cyber security expert Stacey Edmonds warned that mass collection of this data could lead to an increase in scams. “What’s the first thing scammers and predators want from us?” Our data and personal details… and we are giving them away,” Edmonds told ABC.
Dr Catherine Page Jeffery, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney, echoed these concerns in a statement: “Young people and parents doubt it works and worry about privacy and data security.”
Alternative solutions could put children’s safety at risk
As with similar restrictions seen in the UK and several US states (most recently Missouri), there is also likely to be a surge in VPN demand across Australia over the next week. However, this rush to circumvent restrictions could lead users into dangerous territory.
“A lot of people will look for a free VPN and that will download a lot of other spam software onto their computer or phone, creating greater 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 is important to use a reputable brand. Here at TechRadar, we recommend NordVPN and Surfshark as the best VPNs available.
“It’s going to look a little messy down the road,” Minister Wells said. “Major reforms are always enough.” However, the Internet is particularly complicated, and interference with one element almost always causes unintended consequences elsewhere.
