Posted on 07/11/2025 6:03:31 AM PDT by fluorescence
Australians will soon be subjected to mandatory age checks across the internet landscape, in what has been described as a huge and unprecedented change.
Search engines are next in line for the same controversial age-assurance technology behind the teen social media ban, and other parts of the internet are likely to follow suit.
At the end of June, Australia quietly introduced rules forcing companies such as Google and Microsoft to check the ages of logged-in users, in an effort to limit children's access to harmful content such as pornography.
But experts have warned the move could compromise Australians' privacy online and may not do much to protect young people.
"I have not seen anything like this anywhere else in the world," said Lisa Given, professor of Information Sciences from RMIT, who specialises in age-assurance technology.
"As people learn about the implications of this, we will likely see people stepping up and saying, 'Wait a minute, why wasn't I told that this was going to happen?'"
From December 27, Google —which dominates the Australian search market with a share of more than 90 per cent— and its rival, Microsoft, will have to use some form of age-assurance technology on users when they sign in, or face fines of almost $50 million per breach.
Search results for logged-in users under the age of 18 will be filtered for pornography, high-impact violence, material promoting eating disorders and a range of other content.
[snip]Logged-out users will instead experience a default safety setting, which will, at a minimum, blur out violent and pornographic images in search results, but likely allow them to avoid the most stringent filters, such as omitting links completely.
[snip]App-stores, messaging services, porn sites and gambling companies are among a long list of players preparing for similar rules to come into effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at abc.net.au ...
We used to have parents.
VPNs are cheap.
Much more user tracking ahead. Anonymus is a thing of the past.
Children’s access to harmful content such as Disney grooming?
The first time you log in, you have to provide proof you’re over 18. This means some form of electronic ID, on software that meets government regulations and requirements.
It doesn’t matter if you are 5, 15, 45, or 85. It has to be done. Now your id is mapped to your name. Privacy is finished, anonymity is lost.
The government can track you.
Oh great. Facebook requires ID that we refuse to give now that our accounts are banned. My hub wants to re-sign up and provide the info. I think of it as turning over your identity. Am I wrong?
But I’m sure its for our own good!
Companies want to know everything about you, so they can better serve you!
At least that’s what I have been told by some on this site.
“Anonymus is a thing of the past.”
The AI oligarchs are building a social credit system like China’s but worse and they and the corrupt politicians will be at the top.
But a 4 year old can decide to be another gender and that is a-ok right?😵💫😵💫😵💫
No need to go to the internet for porn. The schools bees providing that to the chillerns.
I bet a big chunk of people go to Google and don't log in. So, how useful is the info?
You are right.
However, I already think we've all crossed that bridge some many miles ago...
Somewhere, someone knows who we are.
Got the IP Address!
File: Rover, John's Smith house, Anytown USA. Also goes by the name of Boy. Likes Milk Bones, cheese and bacon treats and canned Alpo. Can sit, shake hands and roll over. Known to bury bones in backyard...
I was afraid you would say that...now, whether to tell my hub he can rejoin FB because of it...
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