A new age verification code will soon apply to search engines, with huge implications for privacy and inclusion
The way we use the internet in Australia is changing. Soon, it won’t just be social media platforms asking to verify your age. Come December, age verification requirements will also extend to search engines – with significant ramifications.
That means you may need to scan your face or do an identity check to use a search engine as a logged-in user. And it’s unlikely to stop there: the eSafety commissioner is considering rules for mandatory age checks across the entire internet landscape.
Samantha Floreani is a digital rights advocate and writer based in Melbourne/Naarm