Sue. An AI overview of Australia's rules (if you'rea clever under 16yo you can probablybeat the system!):Australia's new social media rules require platforms to stop under-16s from using age-restricted services by implementing "reasonable steps" for age assurance, offering options like government ID, facial/voice recognition, or age inference (analyzing behavior) for all users (16+), but crucially, platforms must provide a reasonable alternative to government ID for older teens/adults, preventing forced ID submission and protecting privacy, with big fines for non-compliance.
How Age Verification Works:
Age-Restricted Platforms: Services like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, etc., must enforce the under-16 ban.
"Reasonable Steps": Companies use various methods, including:
Government ID/Digital ID: Scanning official documents.
Biometric Checks: Facial or voice recognition.
Age Inference: Analyzing online activity, location, device info, connections, and engagement to estimate age.
No Forced ID (for 16+): If you're 16 or older, platforms must offer ways to verify age without government ID, like facial scans or age inference, to avoid blocking you.
Key Points for Users:
Privacy Focus: The rules aim to let users choose less intrusive methods (like age inference) over sharing sensitive ID.
Platform Responsibility: Companies face massive fines (up to $49.5m AUD) if they don't implement these steps or force ID on older users.
Under-16s: Platforms must prevent accounts for those under 16, meaning if you're young, you likely can't access age-restricted sites.
Michael Ixer ● 1d