Latest news with #TonyAllen
Time of India
an hour ago
- Business
- Time of India
Social media ban moves closer in Australia after tech trial
HighlightsAustralia's world-first social media ban for users under the age of 16 is set to be implemented following a successful trial demonstrating that age verification technology is both feasible and can be integrated into existing platforms. The government-commissioned Age Assurance Technology Trial concluded that there are no significant technological barriers to preventing users under 16 from accessing social media accounts, with various methods tested including facial scans and behavioral inference. Digital platforms such as Snapchat, Meta Platforms Inc.'s Instagram, and X will be tasked with enforcing the new age limit, facing penalties of up to A$50 million ($32 million) for non-compliance. Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s moved closer to implementation after a key trial found that checking a user's age is technologically possible and can be integrated into existing services. The conclusions are a blow to Facebook-owner Meta Platforms Inc., TikTok and Snap Inc., which opposed the controversial legislation. Some platform operators had questioned whether a user's age could be reliably established using current technology. The results of the government-backed trial clear the way for the law to come into force by the end of the year. The findings also potentially allow other jurisdictions to follow Australia's lead as countries around the world grapple with ways to protect children from harmful content online. 'Age assurance can be done in Australia and can be private, robust and effective,' the government-commissioned Age Assurance Technology Trial said in a statement Friday announcing its preliminary findings. The trial's project director, Tony Allen, said there were 'no significant technological barriers' to stopping under-16s gaining social media accounts. 'These solutions are technically feasible, can be integrated flexibly into existing services and can support the safety and rights of children online,' he said. Under the new law, digital platforms including Snapchat, Meta-owned Instagram , and X will be responsible for enforcing the age limit, with penalties of as much as A$50 million ($32 million) for breaches. The trial tested a range of methods and technologies, including facial scans, inferring a user's age based on their behavior, age verification, as well as parental controls. The tests also took into account the ways teenagers might try to circumvent age checks. 'We found a plethora of approaches that fit different use cases in different ways, but we didn't find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases,' the trial said in its statement. More than 50 companies participated in the trial, while Apple Inc. and Google, developers of the most popular mobile-phone operating systems, are also contributing, Allen said on a video conference call on Friday. The trial didn't assess public acceptance for any particular technology or the costs involved. The accuracy of the different methods, for example the margin of error for facial analysis, wasn't made available.
India Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Kids under 16 may soon face social media ban after Australia proves it has tech for age verification
Australia is preparing to become the first country in the world to enforce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 16. This bold move now appears increasingly likely after a major government-backed trial found that age verification technology can work both effectively and privately. The Age Assurance Technology Trial, involving over 1,000 school students and hundreds of adults, tested how well current tools could verify a user's age without over-collecting personal data. The trial was overseen by the UK-based nonprofit Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS), and the results are being seen as a key step towards making Australia's proposed legislation a no significant tech barrier to age assurance in Australia,' said Tony Allen, CEO of ACCS. Speaking at an online briefing, Allen acknowledged that no system is perfect, but emphasised that 'age assurance can be done in Australia privately, efficiently and effectively.'Although some tools may collect more data than necessary, Allen stressed the importance of balance. 'There's a risk some solutions over-collect data that won't even be used. That's something to watch.'Here is how the system will work At the heart of the proposed verification model is a layered approach. It begins with traditional ID-based checks using documents like passport or driver's licence. These are verified through independent systems, and platforms never directly access the estimation adds another layer: users can upload a selfie or short video that AI analyses to determine age. This method is quick and does not store biometric data. A third component – contextual inference – draws from behavioural patterns such as email type, language, and digital behaviour to further estimate a user's age. While not reliable alone, it helps strengthen the system when used with other these technologies aim to prevent children from easily bypassing checks while also respecting December 2025, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X will be required to take 'reasonable steps' to keep underage users off their services. If they fail, they could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million (which is about US $32 million) per platforms, including YouTube, WhatsApp and Google Classroom, are exempt for now. Australia's move is being closely monitored by other countries, including the UK, New Zealand, and members of the EU, all of which are exploring ways to regulate children's access to social media. The Australian government sees this trial as proof that privacy and child protection can go hand in hand. A spokesperson for the eSafety Commissioner's office reportedly called the findings 'a useful indication of the likely outcomes from the trial', and added that when deployed correctly, the technologies 'can be private, robust and effective.'Despite the positive trial results, there are still some caveats. Children may try to bypass age checks using VPNs, shared devices or borrowed credentials. It will now be up to social media platforms to detect and prevent these workarounds – a responsibility they've rarely shouldered at this scale In
The Verge
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Posted Jun 20, 2025 at 6:31 AM EDT 0 Comments
Australia says its 'technically feasible' to age-gate social media. The preliminary findings of Australia's Age Assurance Technology Trial 'didn't find a single ubiquitous solution' for the country's incoming social media ban for under-16s, but trial director Tony Allen said there's little stopping services like Facebook, Instagram, and X from implementing existing age-verification methods like facial scans, behavior assessments, and parental controls. With so many other countries also trying to enforce online age restrictions, you'd think Australia could have just asked?
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Australia's teen social media ban: Age verification tech 'works," say trial organizers
Australia's plan to ban under-16s from social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat is gaining traction with organizers of a government-backed trial declaring that age-verification software 'can work'—even if it's not perfect. As reported by Reuters, the comprehensive trial, which involved over 1,000 Australian school students and hundreds of adults, concluded earlier this month. The Australian government is pushing ahead with a law, set to come into effect in December, that will require social media giants like Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Snapchat, and TikTok to implement "reasonable steps" to block under-16s from their platforms. Companies failing to comply could face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million). Tony Allen, CEO of the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme , the organization overseeing the Australian trial, stated on Friday that "Age assurance can be done in Australia privately, efficiently and effectively." He further noted that the trial found "no significant tech barriers" to rolling out a software-based scheme. However, Allen also cautioned that "no one-size-fits-all solution, and no solution that worked perfectly in all deployments" was identified. Concerns were also raised about some age-assurance software firms potentially "over-collecting" data in anticipation of future law enforcement or regulatory needs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Cooling Tech Making Ductless ACs Go Mainstream [take a look] Keep Cool Click Here Undo As per the report, the initial findings reveal a positive outlook for the government announced ban. This comes despite ongoing skepticism from child protection advocates, tech industry groups, and even teenagers themselves, who have questioned the ban's enforceability due to potential workarounds like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The trial conducted explored various age verification methods using facial recognition, inferring age based on behaviour and parental controls. During the test some of the facial recognition tools were reported to be almost accurate. However, other reports from the trial highlighted issues with accuracy, such as misidentifying children as older or having higher error rates for certain demographics. The complete report from the Age Assurance Technology Trial is said to be delivered to the Australian government next month. These findings will then inform an industry consultation ahead of the December deadline for the ban's implementation. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Social media ban moves closer in Australia after tech trial
Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s moved closer to implementation after a key trial found that checking a user's age is technologically possible and can be integrated into existing services. The conclusions are a blow to Facebook-owner Meta Platforms Inc., TikTok and Snap Inc., which opposed the controversial legislation. Some platform operators had questioned whether a user's age could be reliably established using current technology. The results of the government-backed trial clear the way for the law to come into force by the end of the year. The findings also potentially allow other jurisdictions to follow Australia's lead as countries around the world grapple with ways to protect children from harmful content online. 'Age assurance can be done in Australia and can be private, robust and effective,' the government-commissioned Age Assurance Technology Trial said in a statement Friday announcing its preliminary findings. The trial's project director, Tony Allen, said there were 'no significant technological barriers' to stopping under-16s gaining social media accounts. 'These solutions are technically feasible, can be integrated flexibly into existing services and can support the safety and rights of children online,' he said. Under the new law, digital platforms including Snapchat, Meta-owned Instagram , and X will be responsible for enforcing the age limit, with penalties of as much as A$50 million ($32 million) for breaches. The trial tested a range of methods and technologies, including facial scans, inferring a user's age based on their behavior, age verification, as well as parental controls. The tests also took into account the ways teenagers might try to circumvent age checks. 'We found a plethora of approaches that fit different use cases in different ways, but we didn't find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases,' the trial said in its statement. More than 50 companies participated in the trial, while Apple Inc. and Google, developers of the most popular mobile-phone operating systems, are also contributing, Allen said on a video conference call on Friday. The trial didn't assess public acceptance for any particular technology or the costs involved. The accuracy of the different methods, for example the margin of error for facial analysis, wasn't made available.
