#79 The long and winding road to age verification

This week we revisit the hard problem of age verification, which we last discussed in episode #64.

In order to protect kids from explicit content and other harmful effects of online platforms, we first need to be able to identify them. But can we do that without major risks to privacy and free speech?

The eSafety Commissioner's Roadmap to Age Verification has the answer. Kind of.

We'll dig through the findings and recommendations in the recently published roadmap report, including the state of current age assurance technology, the legislative and regulatory framework required to make age verification work safely, and the need for a more holistic approach to protect kids.

Links:

eSafety Commissioner's Roadmap and Background Report https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/consultation-cooperation/age-verification

Disappointment from children's advocates (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/kicked-down-the-road-australians-to-wait-for-porn-passport-20230830-p5e0nk.html

Digital rights advocacy group celebrating the decision not to mandate age verification (Digital Rights Watch) https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/2023/08/31/campaign-win-against-age-verification/