Are You Ready for Australia’s Drastic New Internet Rules? Face Age & ID Checks Could Change How You Go Online Forever
- Replies 0
Remember the days when the wild west of the internet meant you could browse, search, and chat with little more than a username and a password? Well, those days may soon be behind us—at least here in Australia. The government is rolling out sweeping new rules that could fundamentally change how we all use the internet, and it’s not just the kids who’ll be affected.
What’s Changing?
The Albanese government has already made headlines with its new law banning under-16s from social media, set to kick in this December. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, the eSafety Commissioner and the tech industry have been busy crafting a set of industry codes under the Online Safety Act that will impact everything from search engines and app stores to AI chatbots and messaging apps.
In short, the days of anonymous browsing are numbered. Soon, you might need to prove your age—or even your identity—just to use everyday online services.
How Will These Age Checks Work?
The new rules will require online services to use a range of 'age assurance' measures. This could mean:
- Checking your account history for clues about your age
- Using facial recognition or 'age assurance' technology (yes, that means scanning your face!)
- Verifying your age with a driver’s licence or a bank card
From December, even search engines will need to have age checks for all logged-in accounts. If you’re under 18, 'safe search' will be automatically switched on, filtering out adult content like pornography and violent material.
But it doesn’t stop there. Six more draft codes are in the works, which could bring similar age checks to app stores, AI chatbots, and messaging apps. Any service that hosts or gives access to content deemed unsuitable for children—think pornography, self-harm material, or extreme violence—will need to keep kids out.
Why Is This Happening?
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, says these changes are all about keeping children safe online. In a recent speech, she stressed the need for a 'layered safety approach' that puts responsibility on tech companies at every level—from the app store to the device itself.
Recent controversies, like Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok offering adult content while being rated suitable for 12-year-olds, have only added fuel to the fire. Child safety groups are demanding tighter controls, and tech giants like Apple and Google are already working on age checks at the device level.
What Does This Mean for Everyday Aussies?
For most of us, this could mean a lot more hoops to jump through just to use the internet as we know it. While the industry group Digi insists these safeguards are 'targeted and proportionate,' critics worry about the loss of online anonymity and the potential for overreach.
Some companies might use less intrusive methods, like analysing your account history or device usage patterns to estimate your age. But for certain content—especially anything rated 18+—you may be asked to provide ID or even scan your face.
And if you’re thinking, 'I’ll just ignore it,' think again. Companies that don’t comply could face fines of up to $49.5 million, and the eSafety Commissioner can even request that non-compliant sites be delisted from search results.
Concerns and Criticisms
Not everyone is on board with these changes. Privacy advocates and tech experts warn that giving more power to big tech companies could backfire, and that the technology for age assurance isn’t foolproof. There are also concerns about data security—after all, do we really want to be uploading our driver’s licence or a selfie just to search the web?
John Pane from Electronic Frontiers Australia points out that most people aren’t even aware these changes are coming, especially when it comes to search engines and adult content. He argues that a better approach would be to update privacy laws and introduce clear AI regulations, rather than relying on regulatory agencies to enforce sweeping new rules.
What About Your Privacy?
One of the biggest worries is what happens to all the data collected for age and ID checks. Will it be stored securely? Could it be hacked or misused? The industry says it’s only targeting specific types of content, not requiring ID for every website, but the details are still being worked out.
What Happens Next?
The first wave of changes—age checks for social media and search engines—will start in December. More codes covering other services are on the horizon. The government and eSafety Commissioner say these steps are necessary to protect children, but the debate over privacy, security, and the future of the open internet is far from over.
What Do You Think?
Are you comfortable with the idea of showing your ID or scanning your face to use the internet? Do you think these changes will make the online world safer, or are they a step too far? Have you already run into age checks or ID requests online?
We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Do you welcome these new rules, or do they make you uneasy? Share your opinion in the comments below—let’s get the conversation started!
What’s Changing?
New Aussie online safety rules require age checks like facial recognition or ID on search engines from December. Credit: Depositphotos
The Albanese government has already made headlines with its new law banning under-16s from social media, set to kick in this December. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, the eSafety Commissioner and the tech industry have been busy crafting a set of industry codes under the Online Safety Act that will impact everything from search engines and app stores to AI chatbots and messaging apps.
In short, the days of anonymous browsing are numbered. Soon, you might need to prove your age—or even your identity—just to use everyday online services.
How Will These Age Checks Work?
The new rules will require online services to use a range of 'age assurance' measures. This could mean:
- Checking your account history for clues about your age
- Using facial recognition or 'age assurance' technology (yes, that means scanning your face!)
- Verifying your age with a driver’s licence or a bank card
From December, even search engines will need to have age checks for all logged-in accounts. If you’re under 18, 'safe search' will be automatically switched on, filtering out adult content like pornography and violent material.
But it doesn’t stop there. Six more draft codes are in the works, which could bring similar age checks to app stores, AI chatbots, and messaging apps. Any service that hosts or gives access to content deemed unsuitable for children—think pornography, self-harm material, or extreme violence—will need to keep kids out.
Why Is This Happening?
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, says these changes are all about keeping children safe online. In a recent speech, she stressed the need for a 'layered safety approach' that puts responsibility on tech companies at every level—from the app store to the device itself.
Recent controversies, like Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok offering adult content while being rated suitable for 12-year-olds, have only added fuel to the fire. Child safety groups are demanding tighter controls, and tech giants like Apple and Google are already working on age checks at the device level.
What Does This Mean for Everyday Aussies?
For most of us, this could mean a lot more hoops to jump through just to use the internet as we know it. While the industry group Digi insists these safeguards are 'targeted and proportionate,' critics worry about the loss of online anonymity and the potential for overreach.
Some companies might use less intrusive methods, like analysing your account history or device usage patterns to estimate your age. But for certain content—especially anything rated 18+—you may be asked to provide ID or even scan your face.
And if you’re thinking, 'I’ll just ignore it,' think again. Companies that don’t comply could face fines of up to $49.5 million, and the eSafety Commissioner can even request that non-compliant sites be delisted from search results.
Concerns and Criticisms
Not everyone is on board with these changes. Privacy advocates and tech experts warn that giving more power to big tech companies could backfire, and that the technology for age assurance isn’t foolproof. There are also concerns about data security—after all, do we really want to be uploading our driver’s licence or a selfie just to search the web?
John Pane from Electronic Frontiers Australia points out that most people aren’t even aware these changes are coming, especially when it comes to search engines and adult content. He argues that a better approach would be to update privacy laws and introduce clear AI regulations, rather than relying on regulatory agencies to enforce sweeping new rules.
What About Your Privacy?
One of the biggest worries is what happens to all the data collected for age and ID checks. Will it be stored securely? Could it be hacked or misused? The industry says it’s only targeting specific types of content, not requiring ID for every website, but the details are still being worked out.
What Happens Next?
The first wave of changes—age checks for social media and search engines—will start in December. More codes covering other services are on the horizon. The government and eSafety Commissioner say these steps are necessary to protect children, but the debate over privacy, security, and the future of the open internet is far from over.
What Do You Think?
Are you comfortable with the idea of showing your ID or scanning your face to use the internet? Do you think these changes will make the online world safer, or are they a step too far? Have you already run into age checks or ID requests online?
