logo
Key admission in social media ban update

Key admission in social media ban update

Perth Now20-06-2025
The brains tasked with finding a way to enforce Labor's world-leading social media ban for under 16s say it is possible but that there is no 'silver bullet'.
The preliminary findings of the Age Assurance Technology Trial (AATT) were released on Friday just six months before the ban was set to come into force.
Project chief Tony Allen said his team found 'there isn't a one solution fits all' but rather a range of options that parties could use. The brains tasked with finding a way to enforce Labor's social media ban for under 16s say it's possible. NewsWire / Aaron Francis Credit: News Corp Australia
'There isn't like a silver bullet that will solve everything,' Mr Allen told Sky News.
'And different providers of social media services, for instance, will need to explore exactly what will work for them and their users, and that's really for them to assess their risk and to consider what they might want to implement.'
In terms of what it might look like in practice, he suggested 'successive validated' – a series of tests designed to firm up a user's age.
Mr Allen said it could start with 'something which is fairly simple, like holding your hand up or showing your face or talking'.
'And then that might not give you sufficient level of confidence, so then move on to maybe age inference techniques, or ultimately, they may need to move on to age verification where you need some sort of record or document,' he said.
The trial uncovered some challenges.
It found parental control and consent systems could be effective when first rolled out but could not 'cope with the evolving capacity of children' or properly protect a 'child's digital footprint'. Communications Minister Anika Wells is likely to receive the full trial findings later this month. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
It also warned that 'service providers were over-anticipating the eventual needs of regulators' and over-collecting user data.
This consequently 'increased risk of privacy breaches', according to the findings.
But Mr Allen said the 'clear conclusion' was that enforcing age limits could be enforced safely.
He held back on putting a figure on the efficacy, noting the measurers were not 'foolproof'.
'There are ways that they (children) can get around them,' Mr Allen said.
'But then we've had tobacco laws for 100 years to stop children accessing tobacco, and it doesn't stop them from accessing some children from tobacco.
'So you have to try and work on how you reduce the risk and reduce the instance.
'You'll never completely eliminate it.'
NewsWire understands the full findings will be handed to the government later this month.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Big issue looming over Wong, Marles UK talks
Big issue looming over Wong, Marles UK talks

Perth Now

timean hour ago

  • Perth Now

Big issue looming over Wong, Marles UK talks

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong will meet with their UK counterparts, with AUKUS set to dominate discussions. The annual AUKMIN talks with UK Secretary of State David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healey are due to take place at Admiralty House in Sydney on Friday. It's the second meeting of its kind since UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer was elected in July 2024. Conversations are expected to focus on deepening the defence relationship between the two countries, as well as emerging challenges as a result of China's increasing dominance in the Indo-Pacific. The group will then travel to Darwin to witness the deployment of a UK Carrier Strike Group warship as part of the Talisman Sabre exercises. Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong will meet with their UK counterparts on Friday. NewsWire/ Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia The group will then travel to Darwin to observe a deployment of UK warships as part of the Talisman Sabre exercises. NewsWire/ Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Marles said the UK was a 'critical partner for Australia'. 'We continue to work closely together, including through the AUKUS partnership, to address shared strategic challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain world,' he said. 'I look forward to discussions in the coming days to advance our enduring relationship.' His sentiments were echoed by Senator Wong and said 'strengthening and modernising' Australia's 'longstanding' partnership with the UK was critical to advancing our 'shared interests' during 'uncertain times'. 'We take the world as it is – but together, we are working to shape it for the better,' she said. 'From building defence capability and boosting economic resilience, to standing up for human rights, advancing gender equality, and defending the international rules and institutions that protect us all.' The AUKUS security pact is expected to dominate conversations. NewsWire/ Nicholas Eagar Credit: NCA NewsWire The talks come amid anxieties about the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United States and UK, with noted sceptic Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's policy chief, undertaking a review into the deal. However Sir Keir appeared to ease concerns about the future of the deal following a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 in Alberta, Canada. Asked if AUKUS was going ahead, Sir Keir responded with: 'Yep, we're proceeding with that, it's a really important deal to both of us'. Anthony Albanese has also watered down concerns, saying a review was expected due to the new Trump administration, with the UK undertaking a similar review following the change of government. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister confirmed Australia recently completed a scheduled $800m payment to the US to help bolster their capacity to build warships, bringing the total to $1.6bn. 'We support AUKUS. We have an agreement. It's a treaty-level agreement with our partners that was signed, of course, in San Diego with the United States and the United Kingdom,' he told the ABC.

Thousands of Aussies to lose bank service
Thousands of Aussies to lose bank service

Perth Now

time3 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Thousands of Aussies to lose bank service

Dozens of regional communities will be left without a bank after Bendigo Bank announced it was axing its agency model, saying the current system can no longer be supported. A total of 28 agencies across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia stop operating from October, while 10 branches in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania will shut their doors from August. The agency model, established more than 30 years ago, allowed Bendigo to offer 'limited banking services via third parties in areas where there was not enough customer demand to sustain a branch'. 'Following a review, Bendigo Bank has concluded that its agency model can no longer be supported due to decreasing customer use and other relevant factors and will be retired from October 2025,' the bank said in a statement. Bendigo Bank announced 28 of their agencies would be closing in October. NewsWire / Paul Jeffers Credit: NewsWire 'The bank apologises to customers that use these agencies for any inconvenience.' Bendigo Bank's chief customer officer consumer, Taso Corolis, said the decision had been informed by 'limited use of these services' and 'an increase in costs and compliance obligations'. 'Bendigo Bank operates more branches per customer than any other Australian bank and Australia's second largest regional branch network,' he said 'We are proud of our regional heritage and are committed to providing face-to-face banking services for our customers. 'To preserve what makes our bank unique, we must prioritise our investments across both physical and digital channels to continue meeting the changing needs and growing expectations of our 2.7 million customers.' Bendigo Bank has told customers they will be closing 28 of its agencies across the country. NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt Credit: News Corp Australia He said the bank would help customers adjust to the change. 'This may be in the form of connecting them with their closest alternate service, including nearest branch or Bank@Post locations, and walking them through e-banking services available, when required,' he said. The move is sparking outrage in regional communities, who may now long drives if they wish to attend a branch in person. One such affected community is Queenstown on the west coast of Tasmania. The Bendigo Bank is the last dedicated physical bank branch in town and residents now face a two and half-hour drive to the closest bank. Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday night, Queensland and One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts warned of the impact the closure of that branch would have. One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts has raised the closure of Bendigo Bank services in the Senate. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: NewsWire 'This is not only the last bank in town. It's the last bank on the entire West Coast of Tasmania,' Roberts said. 'The locals will have no choice and will be forced to drive two and a half hours over icy mountain roads to the next closest bank in Burnie.' Senator Roberts said he was 'having to raise' it because Tasmania's senators had 'ignored' the issue. He accused the Albanese government of ignoring the senate inquiry into regional banking, which had made a number of recommendations, 'The government was supposed to respond within 90 days. It's been 14 months and the government has simply ignored it,' Senator Roberts said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store