The Great Underage Logout: Australia’s War on Youth Scrolling
Australia is generally far behind the rest of the world when it comes to adopting technology, but with preventing Big Tech from getting our teens addicted to social media, they leed the charge.
Australia is on track to enforce a world-first social media ban for users under 16, backed by a government trial that proved age checks are not only feasible but ready for deployment.
The legislation would force platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to verify age using tools like facial scans, behavioral inference, and parental controls. Companies face fines of up to A$50 million for non-compliance.
The Age Assurance Technology Trial, which tested multiple methods, concluded that while no single system fits all, workable solutions exist and can be smoothly integrated. More than 50 firms participated, with Apple and Google offering support on the OS level. Teen circumvention tactics were considered, and countered.
As a futurist and parent, I think this is the right approach. Big Tech will do everything they can to grab our kids' attention and harvest their data for dollars. Of course, this law also inches us closer to biometric oversight in everyday life, which means it require careful implementation.
When safety meets surveillance, trade-offs aren’t optional, they’re structural. How would you balance digital childhoods and civil liberties?
Read the full article on Bloomberg.
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Dr Mark van Rijmenam
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