Age assurance technology can effectively implement Australian social media ban for under-16s: trial

CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A trial has found that age assurance technology can effectively protect young people from inappropriate content online ahead of Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s coming into effect.

Anika Wells, the federal Minister for Communications, on Sunday night released the final report of the Age Assurance Technology Trial, which was commissioned by the Australian government in November 2024 as it moved to legislate the social media ban.

The trial, led by British body the Age Check Certification Scheme, assessed more than 60 technologies from 48 vendors and concluded that age assurance can be achieved "privately, efficiently and effectively."

The 1,100-page final report said that the assessed systems were generally secure and that the testing did not reveal any "substantial technological limitations" that would prevent them from being used in response to age-related eligibility requirements.

However, it warned that the "rapidly evolving" environment means the systems cannot be considered infallible.

Australia's world-first ban on children younger than 16 using social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube is set to come into effect in December.

Wells said in a statement on Sunday night that the results of the trial show that digital platforms have access to technology capable of better protecting young people from inappropriate content and harm.

"While there's no one-size-fits-all solution to age assurance, this trial shows there are many effective options and importantly that user privacy can be safeguarded," she said.

Under the legislation for the ban, social media companies that fail to take sufficient steps to prevent under-16s from accessing their platforms will face fines worth up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (32.3 million U.S. dollars).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in July that Australia would use the upcoming 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly to lobby international support for the social media ban.