Australia will ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms from December, with a new report suggesting the rules can be enforced “privately, effectively and efficiently”.
The government commissioned the independent review to examine how tech firms could ensure compliance with the law, which passed in November and threatens fines of up to AUS$50m (£25m) for breaches.
The report explored several methods of verifying age, including AI-based facial analysis, identity document checks and parental consent systems.
It concluded that while no “one-size-fits-all” solution exists, a “plethora of approaches” could be deployed in different contexts.
“This is the most comprehensive and independent evaluation of age assurance we’ve seen,” said Julie Dawson, co-chair of the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA).
“It shows the technology works, that it can be privacy-preserving and mature enough to give policymakers real confidence.”
The findings were welcomed by age verification firms but raised concerns about unequal accuracy rates across demographics.
Non-Caucasian users, women and older people were more likely to face errors, while Indigenous Australians were underrepresented in training data — a “continuing challenge” according to the review.
Accuracy rates were also weaker among those closest to the threshold, with around 8.2% of 16-year-olds wrongly rejected when attempting verification.
In such cases, users would be required to provide alternative proof, such as ID or parental consent.
Dr Justine Humphry, a University of Sydney academic specialising in online safety, said the tight deadline added to the risks.
“That variation is concerning, with the system needing to be robust and working by the end of this year,” she told Sky News Australia.
The legislation places responsibility on social media companies to stop children creating accounts, echoing Ofcom’s new internet safety rules in the UK.
The report also highlighted how technology already used by UK internet providers could be adapted for Australia.
Robin Tombs, chief executive of age verification company Yoti, said the findings undermined critics of the technology.
“This is very bad news for many opponents who have persistently claimed that even leading safety tech methods are inaccurate, immature, insecure, privacy chilling and discriminatory,” he said.
